<p>I’m considering rushing and I heard you need a recommendation. I don’t know any local sorority alums, so do I not have a chance at getting into a house?</p>
<p>Recs are from women, from any campus, who will write you what is basically a reference. Each sorority does it differently. But, if a woman is an ABC she will know how her particular sorority want the rec done.</p>
<p>Are recs helpful? They can be. Are they necessary? No, despite common mythology, they are not necessary. Remember, you send in your registration with your information. Each house reads what they are given by pnms. Does a rec or a legacy status guarantee a bid to a house? No.</p>
<p>I’m not offended Zelda. But I AM defending strong Greek systems. That said. I think you got me hook line and sinker. Upon thinking about this. You are clearly what message boards call a “■■■■■”. That is you may or may not be serious at all about your post. You are simply looking to stir it up, and get big reactions out of people on the board. I confess you got me. At least mine came from sincerity. Yours comes from a cynical “tear others down” kind of approach. Sad. You may want to get a life.</p>
<p>^I hate to immediately brand someone a “■■■■■” just because s/he presents an undesirable view of a situation. She has never been controversial before now.</p>
<p>“And the high GPA thing…I could have a high GPA too if I was a comm major ;)”</p>
<p>Lol. So, so true.</p>
<p>hmm. didn’t know that all greek house members were com majors. wow. that’s new.</p>
<p>I tend to be a bit nit-picky, so though I have been trying to avoid this thread because of the awful stereotypes and racial slurs by one poster, there is a very large piece of academic mis-information that I simply must respond to:
</p>
<p>ALL majors in ALL schools at USC - including English - require a **MINIMUM of 128 units **to graduate.
[USC</a> Catalogue: Undergraduate Education: Requirements for Graduation](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/cat2010/undergraduate/grad_req.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/cat2010/undergraduate/grad_req.html)</p>
<p>There are some programs at USC which require more than that minimum, but this poster’s program required the absolute minimum at USC.</p>
<p>Alamemom;
Thanks for your factual post! Another breath of fresh air to combat the flamer. Much appreciated. I also received personal message from two folks thanking those of us trying to maintain decorum on this thread. Yours adds knowledge and insight. Facts trump opinion and inuendo every time. Good for you.</p>
<p>Thanks! Something I find interesting is that the poster who so confidently spews stereotypes about women (equating hair color w/ intelligence, judging women on their “attractiveness,” including cultural/gender stereotypes, etc.) calls herself a “feminist” in another thread.</p>
<p>As a lifelong feminist, I feel the term that can most aptly be applied to anyone who posts such degrading, insulting and unsupported nonsense about groups of young women with no regard to their individual characteristics or character is “misogynist,” not feminist.</p>
<p>A word to those seeking information on this or any other USC thread. In her considerable attempt to doll out answers here, Zelda is sometimes quick to give opinions as fact (don’t bother to appeal - you won’t succeed!) errors as fact (60 unit degrees! No talent merit scholarships for film school freshman!) and stereotypes as fact. </p>
<p>What’s worse is that in her mind, she’s never out of line, never insensitive. And never, ever apologetic when she does offend or hurt feelings. Since she didn’t learn that sort of humility as an undergrad, one can only hope she will as a graduate student.</p>
<p>And you forget to note Alamemom that the poster was fully ready willing and able to use pledges in her boyfriend’s fraternity as her personal waiter/servant/slave. For better or worse, and NOT allowed in any sorority on campus that is called hazing.</p>
<p>Kinda of defeats the I am (future) Hollywood liberal/feminist persona don’t you think?</p>
<p>I would hedge a conservative bet that nationally about 85% of sororities and fraternities haze… You’d be delusional to think otherwise.</p>
<p>Also, stereotypes exist for a reason…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>LOL at this. That last phrase is still used by the few remaining members of the Klan. As to hazing. Yup it happens on high school athletic teams, college athletic teams, college drumlines, greek houses etc. But please post the link to the research confirming the 80%figure. Otherwise we’ll simply relegate your post to the “complete and total b.s.” pile. </p>
<p>National IFC, and Panhel orgs have done amazing work at eliminating hazing. The proof is in the number of chapters that are stronger than ever, in philanthropy and academics. The other absolute is that kids coming out of high schools now generally won’t put up with it. Yes, it occasionally still makes a headline. And then those of you out to trash the system will infer that it happens all the time, everywhere.</p>
<p>I’ll probably get flamed for saying this, but it’s my honest opinion (emphasis on opinion):</p>
<p>Although the parents/adults on this forum are helpful and often provide very insightful input, especially alamemom, I feel like the view that they have of some things is quite skewed. In this case, it’s the Greek system. Whether you would like to acknowledge it or not, stereotypes are a big part of it. Sometimes they’re true, and sometimes they’re not. Two things are for sure though:</p>
<p>1) Many members of the Greek system buy into the stereotypes, and even use those stereotypes in their endless debates about how the houses compare to each other in terms of rank and tier.</p>
<p>2) Hazing is alive and well. It’s definitely more for the fraternities and probably not as hardcore as it might have been in the past, but it exists.</p>
<p>Usually only current or recent students can understand or relate to these things from experience. Not a knock against the parents/adults, just the way it is.</p>
<p>Sure, Zelda could have been more tactful, but she basically described the houses in the manner that many students would.</p>
<p>I can’t say anything about fraternities, but sororities do not haze at SC. My daughter would have walked out, immediately, if ANYONE had tried to make her do anything that remotely resembled hazing.</p>
<p>To me, this is all besides the point. I am sure nothing has changed since I was in a sorority. Yes, there are stereotypes. But if you are hell bent on repeating them, it’s also kinder to at least label them as such. </p>
<p>As far as Zelda goes, other than the factual errors, it’s not what she says… but how she says it. </p>
<p>And her failure to ever own up to any mistakes, hurt feelings or potential offenses.</p>
<p>Calling marching bandmembers “dorks” or certain sorority members “JAPs” or whatever anonymously online is silly, immature and insensitive. Putting down sororities’ white dress ceremonies as sexist on one thread while bragging about how your boyfriend’s frat’s initiation process benefited you on another… is just plain laughable.</p>
<p>But then again, I apparently don’t have a life. So what do I know?</p>
<p>Saitsuzen. What’s your point? Everyone’s entitled to an opinion so no flame here. But i dont’ get your point. So kids should, what? avoid all the houses Zelda mentioned (because she flamed all of them). Or that all houses haze in your opinion, so avoid going greek? (a legitimate opinion…but please state it). I’d respectfully suggest that if you and Zelda are so down on the system…it’s just odd that you hang out here. If you’re not down on it, are you then saying that they all haze, and that’s a good thing? Again, your point is? </p>
<p>And finally the “she could have been more tactful” argument is like saying that David Duke could have more tactful when he was Grand Wizard! What is it with letting someone like Zelda off the hook for completely offensive stereotyping of all sororities on USC’s campus? I’m just incredulous.</p>
<p>wowwwwwww.</p>
<p>Anyways. I can’t really speak to other houses, but I am so glad I decided to join a sorority! I don’t think I’m allowed to say which house I’m in because of the whole dirty rushing policy, but I really love my house and all the women in it. </p>
<p>Yes, there are stereotypes in the Greek system (not all of which are correct according to Zelda’s post), I should actually be writing a paper for WRIT 140 about them right now. But there are so many people who defy the stereotypes of their house or “tier.” I personally am very against the whole tier/ranking system–every girl should think she’s in the top house, and if she doesn’t, I don’t know why she’s in her house. I definitely don’t promote bashing other sororities, though–Panhellenic love!</p>
<p>I definitely was not hazed, for the record. I can’t say the same of fraternity pledging, unfortunately.</p>
<p>I know BFAs who go Greek, for the record, though they are theatre, not screenwriting–most of the screenwriting BFAs I know have no interest in joining a social GLO. I have a major and two minors, and I know engineering, philosophy, Bacc/MD, production, and music majors just off the top of my head. If you really want to go Greek, you can make it happen, it’s just a matter of knowing what you can and cannot fit into your schedule. </p>
<p>If you do decide to go through formal recruitment, definitely keep an open mind. I’ve met fantastic people in houses I really disliked during recruitment, so trust in them. </p>
<p>Formal recruitment is also not the end-all and be-all–you may find a house that you like that does not participate in formal recruitment (Sigma Delta Tau and Alpha Delta Chi do not), or you may want to join a different organization, like Helenes or Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity, or one of the professional fraternities.</p>
<p>Best of luck, and welcome to the Trojan family!</p>
<p>My point was that many of those who are offended by the stereotypes presented in Zelda’s post and getting all up in arms appear to be parents/adults, who probably don’t have the best idea of the social culture present at today’s universities and Greek systems. Thus I think that they should take a step back and realize that stereotypes are an inherent part of the system and will remain so until the very same Greek members that are hurt by those stereotypes choose to quit perpetuating them.</p>
<p>I apologize that my point was not clear enough, I admit that it might have been a little more subtle than I intended.</p>
<p>(And my “she could have been more tactful” comment was not meant to let anyone off the hook; it was just acknowledging that Zelda could have shared information about the sororities in a better way.)</p>
<p>Saitusuzen, I’m ashamed to admit it, but the same EXACT terms and stereotypes were used to describe the houses back in my day. I think you’d be surprised how little has changed.</p>
<p>But I do sincerely appreciate and commend you for the very classy tone of your post. (Imagine that! Some peoples’ character is such that they are compelled to acknowledge a potential mistake - even on an anonymous internet forum!)</p>