Rushing as a sophomore at an SEC school

[bamagirl339]

Im from Florida and I went through fall recruitment at the university of Alabama this past fall with NO recs and knowing absolutly no girls in any of the houses. So naturally I got dropped by many after the ice water teas but eventually found a house I liked.Unfortuantly, I was told not to do a suicide pref on pref night and listed my 1st choice and my 2nd choice(who I could not stand). I was soo disappointed bid day to find out I had recieved my 2nd choice house but decided to give it a chance anyways. I ended up dropping before initiation and have intentions to rush next year. What houses dont accept 2nd year rushees? I know Pi Phi doesnt, but I want to know and its hard to find out information about. I want to know what the normal rec amount is because Im trying to pull those together. HELP! I really want to be involved in the Greek system at UA next year.

[Zillini]

First off, have you considered going through open Recruitment this spring? Chapter Total was increased this fall and some Chapters will be participating. If you are interested and/or would like more information contact Greek Affairs or Panhellenic.

ETA: My mistake. Since you accepted a Bid in fall, you will not be eligible for spring COR.




Second, some general advice for any Upperclassmen going through Bama recruitment:

• GPA should be at least Panhellenic average and the higher the better. Fall's will be announced in January, but to give you an idea last spring's was 3.24. While your HS GPA may be taken into consideration, how well you have done at the University will far outweigh that. Each Chapter wants to know that a PNM would help their overall GPA ranking.
• Resumes need to be as strong as they were in HS with campus activities and community service. If it's not, then Chapters may assume a PNM just sat around her dorm room Freshmen year or worse, was out partying all the time. Chapters are looking for Upperclassmen members who are involved and will help get their name out on campus.
• Upperclassmen need Recs just like Freshmen. One per Chapter at a minimum and two is better.
• Get to know as many actives in as many Chapters as possible. There are sorority girls in your classes, at the Rec center, in clubs/orgs, etc. Don't be a stalker or obnoxious about it, just be yourself and be sincere. Keep in mind though that the girls aren't stupid and if a PNM is only interested in getting to know them to do well in Recruitment, they'll figure it out.
• Be smart about social activities during the year. Don't be the girl who's always drunk at band parties or picks up random guys every weekend. Sorority girls attend those parties too, live in the dorms, have friends in the fraternities, etc. Chapters don't want a member who has a tarnished reputation.
• Along with the above, keep your Facebook, etc. comments and pix tasteful. Ask yourself, are these comments/pix something you'd want your Mom, Grandma, professor, future boss, future Mother-in-Law, etc. seeing?
• Attend Panhellenic Preview Weekend March 27th. Contact Greek Affairs or Panhellenic to sign up.

Specific info for the OP: What may hurt your chances is not so much being an Upperclassman, but rather that you went through Recruitment as a Freshman, accepted a Bid, and then quit. Chapters may think twice knowing that if you aren't thrilled with the Chapter you got a Bid from then you'll just quit rather than sticking it out to make it work.

Also, the reasons why you were released from Chapters this year may affect your chances next year. If it was simply a matter of not having Recs and now you do, then it shouldn't be held against you. If you didn't have the needed HS GPA and your college GPA is now high enough, then that shouldn't matter. If however there were other more personal reasons, those may still affect you. In my experience sorority girls have long memories.

BTW, your information about Pi Phi is incorrect.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Zillini

Second, some general advice for any Upperclassmen going through Bama recruitment:

• GPA should be at least Panhellenic average and the higher the better. Fall's will be announced in January, but to give you an idea last spring's was 3.24. While your HS GPA may be taken into consideration, how well you have done at the University will far outweigh that. Each Chapter wants to know that a PNM would help their overall GPA ranking.
• Resumes need to be as strong as they were in HS with campus activities and community service. If it's not, then Chapters may assume a PNM just sat around her dorm room Freshmen year or worse, was out partying all the time. Chapters are looking for Upperclassmen members who are involved and will help get their name out on campus.
• Upperclassmen need Recs just like Freshmen. One per Chapter at a minimum and two is better.
• Get to know as many actives in as many Chapters as possible. There are sorority girls in your classes, at the Rec center, in clubs/orgs, etc. Don't be a stalker or obnoxious about it, just be yourself and be sincere. Keep in mind though that the girls aren't stupid and if a PNM is only interested in getting to know them to do well in Recruitment, they'll figure it out.
• Be smart about social activities during the year. Don't be the girl who's always drunk at band parties or picks up random guys every weekend. Sorority girls attend those parties too, live in the dorms, have friends in the fraternities, etc. Chapters don't want a member who has a tarnished reputation.
• Along with the above, keep your Facebook, etc. comments and pix tasteful. Ask yourself, are these comments/pix something you'd want your Mom, Grandma, professor, future boss, future Mother-in-Law, etc. seeing?
• Attend Panhellenic Preview Weekend March 27th. Contact Greek Affairs or Panhellenic to sign up.
  

In my experience sorority girls have long memories.

That is about the BEST advice I've seen on this topic- and I've quoted it b/c IMO it applies to every university/college.

well done, Zillini, well done.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by bamagirl339

Im from Florida and I went through fall recruitment at the university of Alabama this past fall with NO recs and knowing absolutly no girls in any of the houses. So naturally I got dropped by many after the ice water teas but eventually found a house I liked.Unfortuantly, I was told not to do a suicide pref on pref night and listed my 1st choice and my 2nd choice(who I could not stand). I was soo disappointed bid day to find out I had recieved my 2nd choice house but decided to give it a chance anyways. I ended up dropping before initiation and have intentions to rush next year. What houses dont accept 2nd year rushees? I know Pi Phi doesnt, but I want to know and its hard to find out information about. I want to know what the normal rec amount is because Im trying to pull those together. HELP! I really want to be involved in the Greek system at UA next year.

SFITY? http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=109569

Originally Posted by swissfranc

I have a question regarding going through rush again at a major SEC school. I went through Fall recruitment and pledged at a sorority, but for disclosed reasons, I de-pledged before initiation.

With that being said, would I be allowed to go through Fall Recruitment again as a sophomore? Is it advisable to go through Rush at a major SEC school again? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

SFITY? http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=109569

My thoughts too.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by Zillini

First off, have you considered going through open Recruitment this spring?

Originally Posted by bamagirl339

I was soo disappointed bid day to find out I had recieved my 2nd choice house but decided to give it a chance anyways. I ended up dropping before initiation

It doesn't look like spring recruitment would be an option for this poster as she did accept a bid in the fall.

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

SFITY? http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=109569

Agreed.

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

It doesn't look like spring recruitment would be an option for this poster as she did accept a bid in the fall.

Oops, you're right. I'll blame my mistake on not enough coffee.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by Zillini

Oops, you're right. I'll blame my mistake on not enough coffee.

Yeah, it's early. And cold. The rest of your post, as usual, was golden though.

[PNM_fashionista]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

That is about the BEST advice I've seen on this topic- and I've quoted it b/c IMO it applies to every university/college.

well done, Zillini, well done.

I agree! As another PNM going through Fall recruitment at an SEC school as a sophomore, your advice is the most concise and to-the-point I have been able to find, imo. Thank you

[bamagirl339]

That information was very helpful. But Pi Beta Phi has a national rule that they dont accept 2nd year rushers unless the person is LOVED by the house and in that case that chapter would have to contact nationals about that PNM. At least thats what Ive heard from my Pi Phi friends at Alabama and Florida State.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by bamagirl339

That information was very helpful. But Pi Beta Phi has a national rule that they dont accept 2nd year rushers unless the person is LOVED by the house and in that case that chapter would have to contact nationals about that PNM. At least thats what Ive heard from my Pi Phi friends at Alabama and Florida State.

Or maybe that's them trying to be nice to you and give you a generic reason versus telling you the truth that you don't stand a chance in hell of getting a Pi Phi bid because of YOU.

Face it. You're damaged goods now. You had your one chance at Bama, and pledging the sorority that wasn't good enough for you had nothing to do with whether or not you had recs the first time. Recs won't change a thing now. You're the same person who rushed first time around and now you're a quitter on top of that.

[bostongreek]

Originally Posted by bamagirl339

That information was very helpful. But Pi Beta Phi has a national rule that they dont accept 2nd year rushers unless the person is LOVED by the house and in that case that chapter would have to contact nationals about that PNM. At least thats what Ive heard from my Pi Phi friends at Alabama and Florida State.

Cue GC Pi Phis...

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by bamagirl339

That information was very helpful. But Pi Beta Phi has a national rule that they dont accept 2nd year rushers unless the person is LOVED by the house and in that case that chapter would have to contact nationals about that PNM. At least thats what Ive heard from my Pi Phi friends at Alabama and Florida State.

I have no idea what Pi Phi's national policies are. All I know is that Pi Phi took Upperclassmen pledges in Formal Recruitment in 2009, 2008, and 2007. For some reason I can't locate my 2006 stats. Greek Affairs sends out Recruitment reports to all Chapter Advisors, of which I am one.

[qbt1990]

I'm a Pi Phi and I can tell you that is absolutely not a national rule. I am from a campus that is much less competitive than Bama so I don't know what their chapter bylaws are, but there's definitely not a national rule against 2nd years.

[33girl]

I will go so far as to say NO sorority has any such rule regarding re-rushing on a national basis. They would be screwing themselves at less competitive schools and at schools where their chapters aren't the most popular. Barbie hit the nail on the head.