Just failed my new member exam- need some encouragement

My NM exam was yesterday. I failed it by the barest of margins. I had been feeling sick all weekend, and despite studying my hardest, I still failed .

I went to the hospital right afterwords and was diagnosed with pneumonia and swine flu. My fever during the exam was 103*, and since I got home from the ER all I've done is sleep.

I'm not the only girl who failed and that makes me feel a *bit* better, but I'm still really bummed out. I'm on bedrest for a week, and I have no clue if I'm going to have time to retake the exam before initiation.

I could really use some encouraging and cheering up. I'm pretty down right now.

[MaggieXi]

You should call or email you new member educator (pledge mom?) to tell her what is going on and that you are very ill.

I've been in touch with my NM educator, chapter pres, my big, and a few of the actives. They're all trying to figure out how to deal with the situation. It's just a bummer

[CutiePie2000]

This kind of surprises me......

Originally Posted by stargazertechie

I've been in touch with my NM educator, chapter pres, my big, and a few of the actives. They're all trying to figure out how to deal with the situation.

Has a failed test never come up before? It kind of surprises me that they are "trying to figure out" what to do, when they should have had a plan in place already, in the event that someone is not successful in passing the test.

As for the rest of the thread, sure there is something to be said for learning and/or memorizing your GLO's history / founding, etc., but just as equally important is having the research skills in knowing how to track down this information. We all have access to the Internet but back in the "olden days" (i.e. pre 1996), we would have gone to something called a library.

[OPhiAGinger]

OPA takes the more traditional approach to pledge education. I am baffled by the NPC sororities' designation of every new recruit as a new member, starting with the day they accept their bid! In OPA, our pledges are not considered members until they have completed their education period (and yes, it does include a standardized written test), completed the other pledge requirements (not surprisingly, with a strong emphasis on service project organization), and gone through the initiation ritual. Our pledge requirements are designed to help the pledges get practical experience in the skills that will make them a successful sister, and that includes basic knowledge about our history, org structure, and national policies.

[DartmouthPanhel]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

I am baffled by the NPC sororities' designation of every new recruit as a new member, starting with the day they accept their bid!

They're considered "new members", which is the more PC term for pledges. I believe for all NPC groups, new members have to complete a period of education and meet certain requirements before they can become "initiated sisters" and enjoy full membership status.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

AOII has a NM exam which is required for initiation, but then again, we have a Membership education exam every year that initiated sisters must pass. All NMs and initiated members, therefore, must show proficiency with AOII history, policies, etc. It's the way we do it.

What are the consequences if an AOII sister fails the exam? Presumably, the consequence of failing the exam for a new member is that you don't get initiated until you retake and pass...?

Originally Posted by 33girl

I look at this kind of the same way as I look at history courses in school - kids 40-50 years ago had to memorize dates almost like basic addition and subtraction facts, without understanding the "why" behind it.

And this is why I loathed history. I was forced to memorize and recite whole lists of dates and names. B O R I N G. Math, on the other hand, makes sense. Whether the Declaration of Independence had been signed in 1776, in 1976, or not at all, two plus two would still equal four. History got a lot more interesting once I started tenth grade and history focused on the motivations behind people's actions, rather than rote memorization and recitation.

But I digress. <yoinks thread back onto rails>

In my day, all AEPhi new members were required to pass an exam to be initiated. The passing mark was 100%. The exam covered basic info - colors, flower, mascot, jewel, founding date and location, the names of the seven founders, and the names of the national officers at the time. If you failed, you could retake the exam an unlimited number of times - but you couldn't be initiated until you passed. A few of my sisters had to take the exam 3 or 4 times, but we never had an issue with anyone having her initiation delayed because she failed the exam.

To the OP... talk to your new member educator and your big, and see if you can't retake the exam.

[ForeverRoses]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

What are the consequences if an AOII sister fails the exam? Presumably, the consequence of failing the exam for a new member is that you don't get initiated until you retake and pass...?

Sisters DON'T fail it Really, for initiated sisters, it's not that hard. If you attend chapter every week, then you know everything on the written part (unless the test has changed in 13 years). I remember part of it being an oral exam and if you had trouble memorizing it, you went to another room, practiced and then said it to the RC member as fast as you could.

And to this day, I know that our old headquarters were on Overlook Blvd in Brentwood TN. I was actually annoyed when the new HQ was built, since it was a new address!

[thetygerlily]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

And this is why I loathed history. I was forced to memorize and recite whole lists of dates and names. B O R I N G. Math, on the other hand, makes sense. Whether the Declaration of Independence had been signed in 1776, in 1976, or not at all, two plus two would still equal four. History got a lot more interesting once I started tenth grade and history focused on the motivations behind people's actions, rather than rote memorization and recitation.

Me too! I've never been a fan of rote memorization for the sake of one test, then forgetting it all. I learn best with context... the only reason I know when the Civil War was is because it had a direct impact on Kappa's founding. I was asked the question once in college in a non-history class and literally I had to think "okay, Kappa was founded in 1870 right after the Civil War, which means B is the correct answer"

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

This kind of surprises me......

Has a failed test never come up before? It kind of surprises me that they are "trying to figure out" what to do, when they should have had a plan in place already, in the event that someone is not successful in passing the test.

Originally Posted by stargazertechie

My GPA is right around where yours is and I was extended a bid as a 4th year student who will most likely be finishing either this spring or next fall. My school isn't highly competitive, but I had a few more strikes against me as well (I was a repeat re-rusher... 4th time's the charm)

The OP was given a bid as a senior and is set to graduate in the spring (possibly next fall) according to a previous post. Maybe it's possible that her chapter won't have another initiation before she graduates so that could be something they hadn't dealt with before. Just another reason not to bid 4th year students. I'm still boggled that someone who thought sorority life was so important to her that she rushed four times before she got a bid could possible flunk her test. Sick or not, I would have thought she would have studied and mastered the material long before the test since membership was so important to her.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

The OP was given a bid as a senior and is set to graduate in the spring (possibly next fall) according to a previous post. Maybe it's possible that her chapter won't have another initiation before she graduates so that could be something they hadn't dealt with before. Just another reason not to bid 4th year students. I'm still boggled that someone who thought sorority life was so important to her that she rushed four times before she got a bid could possible flunk her test. Sick or not, I would have thought she would have studied and mastered the material long before the test since membership was so important to her.

Oh snap.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Oops! upside your head!

And you are killing me, lol.

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

Just another reason not to bid 4th year students.

It's not just 4 years, its for life. Obviously my sisters felt this way, or I would not have gotten a bid. My chapter has a very involved alumnae group, and I plan keeping close ties with the chapter as I have permanently relocated to my college town.

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

Sick or not, I would have thought she would have studied and mastered the material long before the test since membership was so important to her.

And I did. When I woke up this morning fever free, and began studying to take the test again this evening with the other NM's who didn't pass, I realized I KNEW all of the information already.

It's kind of hard to remember your own name, let alone your entire sorority history, when you have a 103* fever and coughing your guts out.

My retest is tonight at 8! Wish me luck.

[Senusret I]

Do pledge exams really count these days?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Do pledge exams really count these days?

Depends on the org, I suppose. They do with us -- passing with 100% accuracy is a requirement for initiation.

[thetygerlily]

I was surprised to see the thread in the Sorority Recruitment forum and not Fraternity- I didn't know the women did that anymore. For Kappa at least it's considered hazing (or so I've been told) and therefore not allowed for us.