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: 774
3 members and 771 guests
indygphib, PGD-GRAD
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-25-2017, 10:50 PM
Shokiara Shokiara is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7
Bidless formal and informal

Hello. I attend University of Missouri. Formal Recruitment is in the fall here and I decided to participate. I was honestly dropped from all chapters after round 1. I tried my luck with informal, fell in love with the chapter I visited and received the rejection this past Friday. The problem is I transferred schools from a school with no Greek Life. I struggled with depression until this last year so my GPA isn't the best. I'm a junior by credits but I am a sophomore by course sequence. So that is my sob story. But here's the good part. The house I fell in love with is a newer chapter on campus so they do informal every semester. My pi chi's from formal are still in contact with me and supporting me. I'm going to focus make this a great semester and show the chapter who I really am! My GPA will be replaced after this first semester because of how transferring works so next semester my GPA will be restarted with what I get here!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-25-2017, 11:17 PM
DubaiSis DubaiSis is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Back in the Heartland
Posts: 5,424
Grades are not optional. Unfortunately your opportunities may have passed you by just by time and circumstance. Get pristine grades and try again next semester. But be prepared for that not working out. Best of luck to you.
__________________
"Traveling - It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. ~ Ibn Battuta
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-25-2017, 11:34 PM
Shokiara Shokiara is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7
It just hurts because I wanted to do Greek life for so long and to transfer to a school where I can just to be told no.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-26-2017, 09:01 AM
AZTheta AZTheta is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: N 37.811092 W -107.664643
Posts: 5,295
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shokiara View Post
Hello. I attend University of Missouri. Formal Recruitment is in the fall here and I decided to participate. I was honestly dropped from all chapters after round 1. I tried my luck with informal, fell in love with the chapter I visited and received the rejection this past Friday. The problem is I transferred schools from a school with no Greek Life. I struggled with depression until this last year so my GPA isn't the best. I'm a junior by credits but I am a sophomore by course sequence. So that is my sob story. But here's the good part. The house I fell in love with is a newer chapter on campus so they do informal every semester. My pi chi's from formal are still in contact with me and supporting me. I'm going to focus make this a great semester and show the chapter who I really am! My GPA will be replaced after this first semester because of how transferring works so next semester my GPA will be restarted with what I get here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shokiara View Post
It just hurts because I wanted to do Greek life for so long and to transfer to a school where I can just to be told no.
You were told no because of your GPA. Sororities value the highest scholarship. A transfer student who is a junior (credits) with a low GPA isn't a competitive or desirable PNM. Freshmen coming in with clean slates and high GPAs who will be members for four years (ideally) are what you're up against, for starters.

Also, you've got another thread going which is pretty much a carbon copy of this one, with the addition of asking for recs.
__________________
"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision." Bertrand Russell, The Triumph of Stupidity
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-26-2017, 09:57 AM
Shokiara Shokiara is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZTheta View Post
Also, you've got another thread going which is pretty much a carbon copy of this one, with the addition of asking for recs.
That was because it made me post this introduction to activate my account, then I remembered all the people I see volunteer recs on here. So I copied it out of introductions to a more related area and didn't think it would hurt to ask if it was appropriate to ask for recs.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-26-2017, 10:27 AM
AZTheta AZTheta is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: N 37.811092 W -107.664643
Posts: 5,295
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shokiara View Post
That was because it made me post this introduction to activate my account, then I remembered all the people I see volunteer recs on here. So I copied it out of introductions to a more related area and didn't think it would hurt to ask if it was appropriate to ask for recs.
I don't recall seeing people volunteer recs (to write them, I mean); guess I am not paying attention. Okay. Usually people just post "hi" for their intro post. When someone posts the same info in two separate threads it can create confusion. If you've read enough on GC - oh nevermind.

Good luck to you. I hope you get your GPA up and "find a home" as the saying goes. You've got your work cut out for you!
__________________
"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision." Bertrand Russell, The Triumph of Stupidity
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-26-2017, 12:27 PM
navane navane is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,873
Shokiara,

As the other posters have explained to you, sororities value scholarship. There are so many untrue stereotypes about sororities on TV, movies and newspapers. They think that we jump around and party; yet, I don't think people realize how important scholarship is for us. When you say that your GPA "...isn't the best", would you be willing tell us what it is? How borderline of a GPA is it? I imagine that this is important at Mizzou where competition is high.

Also, you have a story very similar to a young man who also posted this morning. Forgive me for repeating myself, but I am going to quote back to you what I just told him --

Quote:
I'm sorry to hear that you had some struggles during your freshman year. Is it possible to have any of your previous grades officially withdrawn? If you go to the academic advising center on your campus, you might be able to speak with an academic adviser about whether or not you might qualify for a grade forgiveness/course repeat. That is, say you took a chemistry class and failed it. Then you took the same class again the next semester and earned a "C". You might be able to have the first "F" removed from the record on account of having the second grade be passing. Or, if you had a legitimate health crisis, and have documentation to back it up, you might be able to appeal to have some grades or a whole semester removed/withdrawn. This would improve your GPA significantly.

Even if your campus even offers these types of remedies, they wouldn't be done in time for you to improve your GPA for rush going on right now. BUT, it's still a good idea to check on this nonetheless.

Note: I was an Academic Adviser for a major state university for 8 years. I have counseled thousands of students.

I think the advice also applies to you. Best wishes for a successful semester.
__________________
GFB Z
Gamma Phi Beta

True and Constant
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-26-2017, 11:54 PM
Shokiara Shokiara is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7
I transferred with a 2.5 GPA but because of transferring my GPA "restarts". The problem is anything I apply for right now goes by my transfer GPA until this semester is over. I know this can be a good semester because my last semester GPA before transferring was 3.6
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-27-2017, 12:06 PM
navane navane is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,873
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shokiara View Post
I transferred with a 2.5 GPA but because of transferring my GPA "restarts". The problem is anything I apply for right now goes by my transfer GPA until this semester is over. I know this can be a good semester because my last semester GPA before transferring was 3.6

Oh dear. Yes, I do believe it was your GPA and junior class standing that may have caused you to be released so quickly. I cannot say that for 100% certain, since I was not present during the membership selection meetings; but, a 2.5 GPA is most certainly a factor that was not in your favor.

Did you by any chance get an opportunity to read the Mizzou Greek Life website? The Panhellenic Frequently Asked Questions page comes right out and states what might be considered acceptable GPAs. This is unusual as I've not seen any other campus lay it out in such a straight-forward fashion. Here it is --

Mizzou PHA website: https://greeklife.missouri.edu/pha/recruitment-faq/

Quote:
Does my high school GPA matter in the recruitment process?

There is no grade requirement to go through Formal Recruitment set by PHA, but each chapter has its own GPA standards for membership and retention. Because PHA and each chapter values scholarship, maintaining good grades is important to all sorority women. The average college GPA for all sorority women at Mizzou in the spring semester of 2016 was 3.361, which is higher than all women, all men, and all campus GPA averages.

Green Light = Your options are not likely to be limited base on your GPA (3.5 +)
Yellow Light = Your options are more likely to be limited by your GPA (3.0-3.499)
Red light = Your options are very likely to be limited based on your GPA (0-2.999)

Based on a 4.0 GPA Scale

Also, recommendations are needed to be successful at Mizzou. Recommendations are letters from sorority alumnae members who write in to the chapter to vouch for your: character, academics, community service, talents, athletics, etc. Some sororities allow current college members to write recs, but the vast majority are written by alumnae women who know you (relatives, teachers, neighbors, etc).

Rec letters are also good because the writer would have an opportunity to explain that you're a junior in credits, but a sophomore in course sequence - or that you had a medical problem that affected your grades last year but you are otherwise an outstanding student, etc.


Other than that, things that could get a young woman cut right away include, very poor conversation skills, didn't show up dressed properly, poor reputation (drinking, poor character), questionable social media posts and so on.


Hopefully your GPA will improve for next time and you will be able to obtain rec letters for each of the sororities. However, I fear that your upper-class standing on the next go-around will still be an obstacle for you. Until then, work hard on your grades and involve yourself in some of the wonderful activities on your campus.
__________________
GFB Z
Gamma Phi Beta

True and Constant
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-27-2017, 12:34 PM
DubaiSis DubaiSis is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Back in the Heartland
Posts: 5,424
Put bluntly a 2.5 isn't good enough in this era of sorority life. And speaking as someone who got terrible grades her first 2 years of college, my stellar GPA once I got into my major was never able to make up the gap. Had grades been the issue then (before electricity and certainly before grade padding) I wouldn't have had a chance at sorority membership.

Feel free to try again and definitely let the members know that your GPA over the last year is vastly better than your overall, but I don't see any chapters at Mizzou being willing to share a precious space on their roster. There is no "worst chapter" at Mizzou. Even the newest chapter is now at parity. And if they decided to colonize a new chapter (which is always possible in the next few years) colony members are almost always outstanding student leaders, academically and socially.
__________________
"Traveling - It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. ~ Ibn Battuta
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-27-2017, 11:51 PM
aephi alum aephi alum is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Crescent City
Posts: 10,014
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shokiara View Post
I transferred with a 2.5 GPA but because of transferring my GPA "restarts". The problem is anything I apply for right now goes by my transfer GPA until this semester is over. I know this can be a good semester because my last semester GPA before transferring was 3.6
I'm also going to be blunt. A 2.5 GPA won't cut it. I can't think of an NPC sorority that doesn't require new members to have a 2.5 - and that's on the national level. Some chapters have higher minimum GPAs. And even if your GPA does "restart" after this semester, every chapter will know your prior GPA, and that plus your junior standing will weigh heavily against you. I'm afraid your ship has sailed.
__________________
AEΦ ... Multa Corda, Una Causa ... Celebrating Over 100 Years of Sisterhood
Have no place I can be since I found Serenity, but you can't take the sky from me...
Only those who risk going too far, find out how far they can go.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-28-2017, 07:53 AM
GreekOne GreekOne is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 270
The chapter that I advise holds a very hard line on a minimum 3.0 GPA. I had an awful situation where I had to tell one of my own chapter sisters, a personal friend from my college days, that her legacy daughter would not get a bid because she did not meet the chapter's grade standard. Best of luck to you.
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
Informal vs. Formal as a sophomore at FSU eahale496 Sorority Recruitment 19 10-01-2014 06:18 PM
Formal vs Informal newkid27 Fraternity Recruitment 1 03-08-2010 09:44 AM
Formal vs. Informal sdbeta1 Fraternity Recruitment 36 02-09-2007 03:46 PM
Formal vs. Informal ThetaxiUW Recruitment 1 08-22-2002 01:09 PM
Formal vs. Informal SilverTurtle Recruitment 7 08-06-2000 02:48 AM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:00 PM.


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