Grades and sorority bids

<p>So, next fall I will be attending The University of Alabama and plan to rush! I have a presidential scholarship to the Honors College, 34 on my ACT, and a 3.7 GPA at one of the top 50 private schools in the nation. I have at least 2 recs per house (at most 6) and plan to visit with my boyfriend’s sister who is a senior at a popular “Old Row” sorority.
Even with all this, I am scared that I will not receive a bid because I am an OOS student (from Missouri). Do my grades and scholarship help my chances any or are they somewhat irrelevant? If anyone has some advice on how to maximize my chances, that’d be awesome (I’m looking at you Aphimommy :))</p>

<p>i think being OOS is not as much of a detriment as it may have been in the past. it may still be a fairly big deal with some groups, but not the system as a whole.</p>

<p>go through recruitment with an open mind and you will do fine.</p>

<p>Sorry for the delay…2 weddings and a very busy
full time job have this “mommy” a little harried and hectic!!! I sent you a pm…</p>

<p>Thank you!!</p>

<p>Double check your social media and maximize your options!</p>

<p>Being from OOS is no big deal. EVERY sorority has lots.
Go for it!</p>

<p>What do you mean by “double check your social media”? Will the different sororities look very closely at all of my pictures? If I’m on a pretty private setting on Facebook & all they can see are my cover photos & one profile picture, will that affect my chances of getting a bid? What are sororities specifically looking for on social media?</p>

<p>Just make sure there is nothing inappropriate or not-flattering on your facebook that can be found. Also, don’t forget about instagram or twitter!</p>

<p>Yes indeed, they WILL look at your pix, including the alumna you ask to write your recommendation. You don’t want pictures of you making rude gestures, PDA (to use an old-fashioned term), or showing way too much skin in a lascivious fashion.
OTOH, don’t lock your page down too much. Leave your hometown and high school up, and college, so that they’ll know when they found you.
Will you be released based on your outrageous Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Vines postings? Why risk it?</p>

<p>For freshmen grades and GPA are a big consideration. No house wants to recruit a girl who appears she won’t be able handle school work combined with the sorority obligations. The OPs high school accomplishments will get her noticed.</p>

<p>are grades enough to influence a bid or does it not even matter that much they just like to know that you’ll handle school ok?</p>

<p>A high school GPA below 3.0 is typically not a good thing in recruitment. If you are in that situation and have an extenuating circumstance or have graduated from a high school with a stingy grading system, that needs to be explained. Most sororities have minimum GPA guidelines for their recruits set by their national groups that must be followed. At Alabama (as at most universities) a sorority’s membership overall college GPA is tracked and reported. Therefore, they essentially are encouraged to take a recruit’s academic potential into consideration based on high school GPA. But to answer your question – yes, they want to feel you can handle school academics.</p>

<p>you will be one of many many girls with excellent grades. there will be many with > 4.0 GPAs. </p>

<p>they like girls with good grades, but i don’t think that it is something that will influence them greatly. </p>

<p>worry more about making a good impression and having good conversations during recruitment.</p>

<p>thank you!</p>