Greek Prep 101

ksw33t · #1 02-14-2007, 01:30 PM

It's the last semester of my senior year and I will be attending Florida State this fall. What kind of things should I do before Rush? Also, concerning letters of recommendation- (might be a silly question )Is it okay to send letters to more than one sorority?

I've already visited the campus and I really like it. If there's anyone on here from fsu, I'd love to get more of and inside opinion though (best housing, honors, things to do,ect)
Thanks~

AlphaFrog · #2 02-14-2007, 01:33 PM

The sorority recruitment forum pretty much IS Greek Prep 101. If you read through the threads (and search for spesific questions), I'm sure you'll find everything you need to know and more. We've had quite a few FSU threads.

Pay special attention to the forum stickies.

KSUViolet06 · #3 02-14-2007, 01:34 PM

It is to your advantage to secure recommendations for as many of the sororities as possible. I suggest getting started early. See if there are any Greek women in your family, church, high school faculty, etc. Those are the women most likely to want to write you recommendations. One letter of recommendation per sorority is sufficient.

My other advice to you:

Make sure that you have good grades (I'd say you're doing really well if you have at least a 3.0). Each sorority has a GPA requirement, which you will learn more about once you sign up for rush. If you have low grades, you will face heavy cuts and grealty decrease your chances of receiving a bid.

Check out this thread, it has some good general advice in it:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=54403

PenguinTrax · #4 02-14-2007, 02:38 PM

You want to have a letter of introduction to every group for whom you can get a letter.

Watch for the Tomahawk magazine to be mailed to you this summer - it is full of great information about Recruitment.

Keep up your GPA, activities and community service. Research each group (nationally and locally) so you can ask pertinent questions during open house and subsequent rounds.

Keep a positive outlook all week, at all houses. Consider all opportunities - each chapter has a lot to offer regardless of size or perceived reputation.

Realize that when you get cut from a house, it isn't personal. Move on...don't let disappointment bog you down.

Listen to your heart, not 'tent talk'.

FSUZeta · #5 02-14-2007, 04:38 PM

just to clarify- usually the pnm (potential new member=rushee=you) composes a sharp, professional looking resume of her high school activities, volunteer activities, gpa, etc. she supplies a resume to each alumna who is writing a letter of recommendation for the pnm. the pnm does not send letters to the sororities herself.

an alumna may write a letter of recommendation to any chapter of her sorority. in other words, as an alumna of the fsu zta chapter i can write a letter of recommendation for a pnm who is going to college anywhere there is a zta chapter. i cannot write a letter to chi omega, adpi, achio, dg, piphi, etc., but i could send the pnms resume to a friend or acquaintance who is a member of chi o and ask her to write a letter of recommendation to the chi o chapter at the pnm's school. networking at its finest!!

NUBlue&Blue · #6 02-14-2007, 05:58 PM

Some of the sorority websites (the HQ websites, not the local chapter) will have a recommendation form that the person who writes you a rec will download and send in to the chapter. When my older daughter went through recruitment, I looked at all of them that I could--some are not available without a password, but a good number of them can be read by anyone. This gave us a good idea of all the information that should be put on the resume to make it very simple for the person writing the recommendation.

The custom in our area is to have your mother write a note or call asking if the person would be willing to write a recommendation. You then follow up with a packet that includes your resume, a stamped envelope addressed to the chapter, a photo (usually leftover senior pictures), and a note thanking them for writing a recommendation (in our area, this note is from your mother). Then, two or three weeks before recruitment, you sit down and write thank you notes to all the people who wrote the recs, tell them how excited you are to be going through recruitment and off to college, etc. This also serves to remind them to do it if they haven't. Then, after bid day, you sit down and write notes to all the ladies who wrote you recommendations and thank them again, tell them how much you enjoyed recruitment and tell them what house you pledged.

You may have already guessed that I live in the South