University of Texas, Austin

[tinydancer]

Thanks, AggieDZ - I was going to mention that, but I wondered if I was just being too picky. I'm a UT grad (Austin, by the way) and it makes a difference to me. I realize not everyone knows that, though.

[AggieDZ]

No problem, tinydancer! I know how it goes! Just try explaining to someone why Aggies ( Texas A&M College Station) don't think someone at A&M Kingsville (the Javelinas) should get to wear the Aggie Ring. Sheesh!

[Kristin AGD]

Originally posted by KappaKittyCat
Holy Cow! How can that be? Please tell me that they only cut for grades (as discussed in the UNL thread) and don't just cut willy-nilly before even meeting the PNMs.

I have heard quite a bit about UT rush. And it wouldn't surprise me if one or two sororities there had their final bid list ready in June. This is Texas, and at a few sororities legacy & recommendation are everything. But this can work against them, they miss out on some really great girls.

[AlphaXiGirl]

I was an Advisor for the Alpha Xi Delta chapter at UT - Austin for four years - until I moved out of Texas a year an a half ago.

I will post on the guananteed placement thread on that topic.

That aside....

Every women goes through all 14 houses for open house. Cuts after the first round can be big because many of the houses that historically reach quota during bid matching have release figures that force them to cut many women.

This is a campus where more than a few of the chapters could potentially fill quota with just their legacies.... although most of those chapters end up only pledging about 1/2 of quota with legacies.... talk about some upset moms, sisters, and grandmothers!

I can honestly say that all 14 chapters are strong chapters. There is a place for every woman that wants to go greek - if those women will keep their options open.

UT Recruitment is like no other.... it can be a different world.... just two years ago, recruitment budgets in some chapters were $28,000. Just before I moved away, Panhellenic put a budget cap in place of either $18,000 or $20,000... with hopes that it could gradually be reduced to $12,000. I don't know how close to that goal they have been able to come.


If anyone has specific questions - just ask. I'll be as honest as I can be.

[dzandiloo]

Hey AlphaXiGirl-
I PM'd you...

[tinydancer]

It has been years since I attended UT, but I was just wondering... How many (about) go through rush nowadays? What is quota - it was 50 when I went there. Are LOTS of girls going un-bidded?
I know that at least 5 NPC sororities that were once there are gone now. Has the time come to try and re-colonize one or two?
These were well-known groups and some were very old chapters, founded in the 30s or 40s.

Just OBTW - I think GC has done a lot to promote ALL sororities and to emphasize that each chapter is different, like we all are, and have distinct personalities. This was quite an eye-opener for me.

[AlphaXiGirl]

I don't know about last year's numbers but in the past only 850 - 950 women sign up for recruitment... on a campus of 55K, that's not a lot.

Of those women only 650 or so get bids but most of that decline in number is due to women dropping out - usually heartbroken because they didn't get invited back to the one chapter they were in love with... and of course, you have some women that are dropped from all groups because of grade requirements (this is usually women that already have college GPA's. Because UT is so hard to get accepted into, highschool women usually have very high HS GPAs). There really aren't a lot of women that go through the process without getting a bid - especially with Guaranteed Placement.

Quota is usually in the 51 - 53 range with Junior Quota adding another 3 or so.

I have seen so many improvements in UT's recruitment. The college panhellenic has really improved the process and is making some very positive changes.

[tinydancer]

Thanks for the info. I wish they had had the junior quota when I went through. I was told point blank by one sorority "We don't bid juniors," at a cob party. I thought that was pretty bizarre, since THEY had invited me and KNEW what year I was.

[IvySpice]

UT Recruitment is like no other.... it can be a different world....

This ignorant (but very interested) Northerner would love to know what you mean. Can you try to describe it?

And what in the world costs $28,000 in recruitment when you can't give gifts to the PNMs? Gold-plated name tags? Wow.

Ivy

[KappaKittyCat]

I second that emotion!

Sorry for the UT-Austin/UT-Arlington messup.

[bruinaphi]

Originally posted by IvySpice
And what in the world costs $28,000 in recruitment when you can't give gifts to the PNMs? Gold-plated name tags? Wow.

I am not speaking of our budget at UT, but generally speaking chapters like the ones at UT will spend approximately the following amount of money on the following:

$5,000-$10,000 on flowers
$3,000 on rentals
$3,000 on video production or skit props/production
$5,000 on refreshments and food
$2,000 on rho chis/panhellenic stuff
$6,000 on non-floral decorations
$1,000 on name tags

That's assuming that clothing is in a seperate assessment and not a part of the budget.

[phimuandfries]

How important is being in a GLO at UT? It sounds like a huge campus and a relatively small portion of it being Greek. Do guys have the same degree of difficulty when it comes to getting into a frat?

[White_Chocolate]

my sister did this awful thing of 'guaranteed placement'
a bunch of girls from her school all went through rush together
when you fill out a bid card, you put down your top sororities ranked most desired to least desired
and you'll get a bid from one of them
out of 12 girls, only 5 ended up in their first choice(my sister included)
the rest of them ended up in their 2nd or 5th choice which wasn't bad
none of them regret it

it's mostly to keep girls who make fatal mistakes like 'suicide' or something crazy off the wall cutting
to give them a chance and still be in a sorority

[33girl]

Originally posted by lauradav
$3,000 on rentals

Not to be a smartass, but rentals of what?

[AGDLynn]

My guess is chairs, tables, tablecloths, trellis, wind machine (you never know, lol), helium and/or propane tanks...