<p>Hello everybody!</p>
<p>I will be a freshman attending UA next year and I would really really like to rush. I’ve done lots of research and I know how competitive and intensive it is (quite different from the north, where I’m from 
and I of course took notice of the costs. I’ve heard varying figures from $3-5k, depending on the house. I know this covers your meals and lots of other stuff, but how can someone who doesn’t have a couple thousand dollars laying around afford that much each semester??? I’m told some sororities have payment plans, can anyone share their experience with those? Does each house have them or do only some have them? Additionally, since neither me nor my parents could pay that much out of pocket (even broken up into monthly payments) at this time, would it be feasible for me to get a job in the fall on campus to help pay? I know pledging takes a lot of time, and with that in addition to my classes will I just be overloaded or is this something many girls do? Any (really, ANY, lol) information on this would be so incredibly helpful to me. </p>
<p>Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>Each house has their own arrangements for payments. That’s something you could possible ask about during recruitment - I would not ask the first day because you just don’t have enough time. Definitely ask your Rho Chi (recruitment counselor)…skit day, you might have enough time. Really, this is something you might want to call the Greek Affairs office (or visit them during Bama Bound) to discuss. Fees are here, at the bottom of the page: <a href=“http://uapanhellenic.com/housing.html”>http://uapanhellenic.com/housing.html</a>. Your cost would be the “out of house” expenses, PLUS the new member expenses, all of which are one-time fees and will not repeat. The fees could very well be slightly higher. Most also require some sort of payment into a “T shirt” fund so you can buy some of the T shirts churned out for events (you do not have to buy all the shirts!). </p>
<p>Could you get a job to pay the sorority fees? Maybe, but you would have to make a good deal of money and most of these jobs are going to be minimum wage. Summer work would probably not pay enough by itself.</p>
<p>Listen, it will seem at first as if everyone on campus is Greek except you, but this is not true. Only about 1/3 the student body is Greek. That leaves 2/3 who are NOT.
There are plenty of clubs and things to join where you will meet people and take part in campus activities. About a week after classes start, there will be a “Get On Board Day” with tables by all different organizations. You can talk to their officers and members, sign up and try them out.</p>
<p>It’s OK to NOT pledge a sorority! </p>
<p>Thanks so much for the info Southlander! I’ll definitely call in and check. Also I wasn’t super clear on this in the OP-I would get a summer job and then hopefully (if manageable) an on campus job and those two together plus my parents would be able to cover it. I was also wondering if that’s an appropriate question to ask during rush? It seems logical that it would be okay-but in reality would it be frowned upon to discuss those kinds of things?</p>
<p>I’m not really sure. Let me talk to a couple of the girls in my sorority there and ask them. I will say that it IS wholly appropriate to ask your RhoChi about it or sit down with the Greek Affairs folks to ask. I just think the prices on the Panhellenic site are just a little low, or maybe don’t consider all the extras, such as T shirt and photos, out-of-town formals, those types of things. And future expenses such as gifts to a little sister. Give me a couple of days and I’ll see what my folks say. ;)</p>
<p>Thank you soooooooooo much!</p>
<p>So sorry I have not gotten back to you…I will be seeing some of the girls on Friday and will ask and report.</p>
<p>My daughter’s house uses greek resources for billing…its grsconnect.com - we have our credit card billed automatically each month and it’s quite $$. No additional charges for paying each month. The extras are minimal compared to the cost of being in the sorority. Some sororities are more expensive than others also. Everyone does not have to be greek! My two sons were not and were perfectly happy at UA. But they thought it was important for their little sister to rush. She loves it and she’s thriving. </p>
<p>StangSVT - how are YOUR studies going?! ;)</p>
<p>Any updates Southlander? :)</p>
<p>D’s house offers a 3 month payment plan for each semester. Her roommates are in a different sorority and they offer a full 10 month plan. Keep in mind that your sorority fee’s include your meals. Check with each house about what meals are offered. Some have no meals on the weekend and others have Sunday brunch and Saturday breakfast and lunch. </p>