old and new recruitment story

[legacymom]

As the only child of older parents, I knew next to nothing about sororities when I entered a major southern university many moons ago. I must have expressed some interest in rush because my parents said I had to wait until I was a sophomore, but I don't recall it being a huge issue. When I moved into my dorm with my roomate who also had skipped recruitment, I felt a bit left out - our dorm had been one of the recruitment dorms, and almost every door on our hall was decorated with owls, lions, keys or other symbols plus bright streamers. I soon got to be good friends with neighbors who had joined a house that many girls from my high school joined. They explained to me that their house had met quota (which meant nothing to me), but began inviting me to informal events, and then to their pledge formal and winter formal. I was absolutely convinced that I would rush the next year and pledge this house.

But in early spring other friends from high school invited me to Spring recruitment for a sorority that had just colonized. Initially I declined the invitations, but agreed to go because my roomate wanted me to go with her. Before I knew it I was swept up in the excitement, and when they extended me a bid I accepted. Being part of a new, smaller sorority was a struggle on a competetive campus, but I wouldn't trade the great experiences I had. When my oldest daughter entered the same school several years ago I was thrilled that my chapter was thriving, and that it was a good option for her. Second daughter has also been excited about attending the same school and going through recruitment, but has been wait-listed by the school. Her second choice school is a good size campus with strong greek life, but only 7 sororities, and my house is not one of them. Looking forward to posting her story - hoping she will find the house that is right for her.

[FSUZeta]

Welcome legacymom. Looking foward to reading about your daughter #2's journey. Did daughter #1 join your sorority?

[legacymom]

Yes oldest daughter did pledge my house, but she kept me guessing to the last moment. I was very pleased with all the houses she preffed at, and think she would have been happy at any of them, but my house was just a nice fit for her. There was a house that she loved early on that could have been competition, but they only invited her back thru second round. The hardest thing for me was that I had done recs on several of her friends who went through with her, and my house dropped them after first or second round.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by legacymom

Yes oldest daughter did pledge my house, but she kept me guessing to the last moment. I was very pleased with all the houses she preffed at, and think she would have been happy at any of them, but my house was just a nice fit for her. There was a house that she loved early on that could have been competition, but they only invited her back thru second round. The hardest thing for me was that I had done recs on several of her friends who went through with her, and my house dropped them after first or second round.

While we are waiting for the younger daughter maybe you can write your oldest daughter's recruitment story.

[FSUZeta]

Yay for you and your daughter sharing your sorority. As to her friends, that is always disappointing. When I write a rec. for someone, I try to gently let them know that just as they are under no obligation to join my sorority, that chapter of my sorority is not obligated to extend her a bid. It is a slippery slope sometimes to encourage the pnm to rush and to truly give each chapter a fair shot, while at the same time not giving them false hope but also not discouraging them.

[carnation]

Amen to that. Many of us wonder why we even bother writing recs anymore because the chapters at large schools are having to cut soooo many girls right off.

[legacymom]

Ok, I will try to remember as much as I can

[legacymom]

Older daughter, who I will call Scarlett, grew up listening to me talking about recruitment, and there was never any doubt in my mind that she would rush and pledge somewhere. Being a legacy gave her a certain security (often false these days), but she was very open minded through all the rounds. I will name the houses after states:

Arizona
Pennsylvania
Georgia
Delaware
California
New York
Connecticutt
Kentucky
Alabama
North Carolina
South Carolina
West Virginia
Virginia
Ohio
Hawaii
Alaska
New Jersey

[legacymom]

Scarlett had several good friends going through recruitment with her, and as I mentioned, I had done recs for most of them. After first round, her descriptions were as follows:

Arizona - Really liked this house, very impressed by the girls and hoped to return there.
Pennslyvania - Really couldn't remember much, which disappointed me because several of my good friends belong to this house and had written recs for her.
Georgia - She was not impressed by this house - felt that it was a little too informal compared to the others.
Delaware - Liked this house alot - very good first impression.
California - Not wowed here, just ok
New York - Liked the girls, and really thought this was a beautiful house. But said she got the feeling they were a little too upscale for her.
Connecticutt - Very turned off by this house - said the girls appeared to have been drinking prior to recruitment - had the reputation of being a wild group.
Kentucky - Liked this house alot - the girls seemed very genuine.
Alabama - Didn't like this house - couldn't explain why, but just didn't feel right.
North Carolina - Got a good first impression of her legacy house - she had been there many times over the years so it was a comfortable visit, but she also really clicked with several girls.
South Carolina - Completely turned off by this house, despite their reputation as being one of the top houses. Felt the girls had too much of a Barbie doll feel.
West Virginia - Liked this house alot - the girls seemd very friendly and genuine.
Virginia - Not impressed here, again, a house with a good reputation where I felt she would fit in well, but she found it just ok.
Ohio - She absolutely loved this house and hoped to be invited back. But, she did say she was a bit overwhelmed by how pretty and perfect they all seemed.
Hawaii - Loved this house - thought the girls were cute and funny.
Alaska - Not really impressed.
New Jersey - Didn't care for this house and didn't want to go backl

[legacymom]

Scarlett was pleased to have a full schedule for round 2, although some of the houses she liked had not invited her back. She was sad not to return to Arizona and New York, but not too disappointed about Pennsylvania, and very happy that Connecticutt and New Jersey were no longer on her list. This round was house tour, so she enjoyed seeing all the houses. After Round two she still liked her legacy house, but also liked Ohio and Hawaii a great deal. Her best friend going through recruitment with her took a heavy cut after first round, and returned to 8 houses instead of 12. Daughter and I were both disappointed that all her friends had been cut by North Carolina.

[sigmagirl2000]

Originally Posted by legacymom

Scarlett was pleased to have a full schedule for round 2, although some of the houses she liked had not invited her back. She was sad not to return to Arizona and New York, but not too disappointed about Pennsylvania, and very happy that Connecticutt and New Jersey were no longer on her list. This round was house tour, so she enjoyed seeing all the houses. After Round two she still liked her legacy house, but also liked Ohio and Hawaii a great deal. Her best friend going through recruitment with her took a heavy cut after first round, and returned to 8 houses instead of 12. Daughter and I were both disappointed that all her friends had been cut by North Carolina.

I feel a little mean pointing this out 3 months after the fact, but I saw the same issue for several posts in a row, so I can guess it wasn't a one time mistake. It may be small, but it's still a state, and it's Connecticut (only 1 t at the end). (I'm also disappointed a bit that my home state turned her off, lol)

Good luck to daughter 2 as she starts recruitment today!!

[legacymom]

I will admit after Round 2, that I was a bit worried about how much she liked Hawaii. She really raved about this house, and I thought that if it came down to North Carolina and Hawaii it might be a close call. When invites came for the 3rd round, Hawaii and Ohio had dropped her, and she was a bit disappointed. However, she still had a full round of houses, opting to return to North Carolina, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska and Virginia. This was philanthropy round, and I was suprised by how much the skits impacted her opinion of the houses. She had really liked West Virginia up to this point, and two of her close friends very interested in this house, but she was completely turned off by the skit. After this round she knew that an invite back to prefs guaranteed her a spot at North Carolina, but she also preffed Delaware and Kentucky, two houses she liked very much.

[legacymom]

I had hoped to hear alot from her during recruitment, but was disappointed to hear few details about the parties. After prefs she shared that she had liked all 3 parties, but that North Carolina and Kentucky were her top choices. I was pulling for North Carolina, but very happy that she'd preffed 3 houses where she felt she could be happy, and hopeful that she would get her top choice.

[legacymom]

On bid day I was delighted to hear that Scarlett had pledged my legacy house. One of her friends who was dropped by North Carolina went on to pledge West Virginia where she has been very involved and very happy with her choice. Another suicided Hawaii and did not receive a bid - she opted not to go through recruitment again and graduated without going Greek. Scarlett lived in the house as a sophomore and was always very happy with her choice, and it was a great experience for me to attend her initiation and welcome her as a sister.

[FSUZeta]

excellent! here's hoping your younger daughter is equally as successful!