<p>I am from Cincinnati, Ohio and would love to rush next year. I know it is harder for a northerner to successful rush but, I am already getting some reccomendation letters for the fall. Am I preparing enough in advance to have a successful rush? How am I to go about simply meeting some girls who are already involved in greek life?</p>
<p>Panhellenic Preview Weekend is March 25-27. This is a great time to meet girls in the sororities as well as others who will be going through recruitment. You can find out more by visiting the website [Alabama</a> Panhellenic](<a href=“http://www.uapanhellenic.com/]Alabama”>http://www.uapanhellenic.com/) They explain, in detail, the whole recruitment process- from what to wear, recs, costs…they do a really good job. They also have a session for parents. If it is not possible to come down, you can still have a good rush. Keep an open mind and remember…you usually end up where you are supposed to be! It will be a long week but well worth it.</p>
<p>I agree with bamagirl…if you can go to Preview Weekend you should. On Saturday the 26th there will be a great program put on by Panhellenic. The sororities will all set up brag tables with pics, info about their philanthropy, costs and will have several girls with whom you can talk to and ask questions. You will be given lots of information about Greek life at Alabama, recruitment and how to prepare to have the best recruitment week possible. You also will get meet other young women who are going through this process as well. You will also get to visit each house for about 10 minutes. Last year there were over 1000 PNM’s who attended. In addition on Friday the 25th and Sunday the 27th some sororities will have invitation only meet and greets such as appetizers at local restaurants, pizza, and brunches. As you are asking Alums to write your recs you might also ask them to email the recruitment chair at the house they are affiliated with and “introduce” you. This introduction in some cases might get you and invitation to one of the events on Friday or Sunday. Sororities have been compiling names of PNM’s and are getting ready to hold their second weekend of invitation pre-recruitment events.
Great job on getting those recs…starting now gives you time to make sure that you get at least 1 per house. Recs are very important at Alabama and so you will need at least 1 per house…I really can’t stress that enough!
As you enter this process you will hear phrases like “keep an open mind” and “maximize your options”. The sororities at Alabama are large, many having over 200 girls so as you go through the recruitment process remember that if you do not connect with the first girl you meet in that house don’t immediately assume that that house is not for you. Bamagirl is right you will end up where you belong. Things have a way of working out that way.
I think that more and more sororities have are bidding girls who are OOS. I believe in another thread someone actually had a percentage of OOS girls who pledged. We are from OOS and my D had a great recruitment last year and loves her sorority! She had 2 and 3 recommendations for each house as well as many of the women who wrote her recs also sent emails to introduce her to their particular sorority and also many wrote personal letters of recommendation.<br>
I would also encourage you to keep your eyes open for a Panhellenic sponsored event in your area that is open to high school senors who are planning on going through recruitment in college. Many major metropolitan areas have these information sessions each spring. We also connected with what turned out to be a very active Alabama Alumni Association in our area. They were very welcoming. Several women invited my D to lunch and wrote her recs. We have been invited to and have attended the football watch parties they hold at a local restaurant. It has been a most helpful connection.
Feel free to keep asking questions. There are many knowledgeable people who post here and they will be more than happy to answer your questions.
Good luck! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>I was wondering if a student from Bama or a parent who knows enough on the matter (although I doubt any parent truly knows) could discuss the presence of Greek life on campus. Are there other social options and are they readily available, easily accessible, socially acceptable, etc. I’ve heard many positive recounts about the Greek life–does anyone have any negative experiences to share? Also, how prevalent is alcohol? I went to a smaller college in a small town, like Bama, and Greek life dominated the social scene and alcohol consumption was rampant. Not a whole lot of social variety.</p>
<p>Yes, there are many other social options on campus…clubs, organizations, etc.</p>
<p>neither of my kids rushed/pledged. they have a busy social life. many other posters here will tell you that they (or their child) didn’t rush. some have and like it…some didn’t and are happy with their choices.</p>
<p>As a former UA greek I can tell you without a doubt that alcohol plays a large part in the social scene. From Thursday night swaps to Friday and Saturday night band parties to Sunday afternoon lawn parties. Alcohol will be available and it will be consumed by a large percentage. sometimes in mass quantities.</p>
<p>However ATO has gone dry and it is one of the largest fraternities on campus as well as one of the most respected by the administration. So much so that Dr. Witt awarded them prime real estate on Univ Blvd to build their new mega mansion.</p>
<p>There are multitudes of clubs, organizations, and groups on campus that one can join without going greek. With UA being in the bible belt you’ll also find many students on campus that do not drink. Even in fraternities you’ll find a few that don’t consume alcohol. I had a pledge brother back in the day that didn’t drink and while maybe a few made a joke or two he was never forced to drink.</p>
<p>UA has over 30K students now. Anyone with any kind of social skills at all will be able to make friends and be part of groups that have similar interests and beliefs to theirs.</p>
<p>“I went to a smaller college in a small town, like Bama, and Greek life dominated the social scene and alcohol consumption was rampant. Not a whole lot of social variety.”</p>
<p>Are you transferring in as a sophomore or were you referring to visiting another campus not attending? It sounds as if you will be a transfer student…is that correct?</p>
<p>No, I’m actually a recent college graduate. My sister just got in to UA with a great scholarship and entry into the Honors College. Since I’ve been down this road already I’m just trying to ask the questions that haven’t been asked yet.</p>
<p>I’m aware that a quarter of the students are Greek, so yes obviously 3/4 are not. But (and I should have put this more succinctly) what I’m really wondering is whether on a Friday or Saturday night there will be any options besides going out to drink. My alma mater, I’d say about a fifth were Greek, but EVERYONE went to the Greek parties on the weekend because, alas, there was nothing else to do in that small town.</p>
<p>ahphimommy, Thank you for your very informative post on Sorority Recruitment Weekend. Will the fraternities also have invitation only events?</p>
<p>My son is interested in attending the Fraternity Preview weekend. He will be participating in a State level event that will not be completed until Friday night at 10pm. We are looking at flying to B’ham on Sat. morning and renting a car. (The Greek Life pages says fraternity events start at 12:45 pm) We will spend the night in T-town and then drive home on Sunday afternoon. </p>
<p>Also, do fraternities require reccomendations like sororities? Do the reccomendations have to come from a member of the UA chapter or will any chapter be sufficient? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman, did not rush, is not a partier, and is having a ton of fun at Bama. There are parties if that’s what you want, but there are lots of things to do if you’re not!</p>
<p>This is what I have observed/learned about Greek life at UA from having a daughter in a sorority and being involved as an alum with my chapter on the Alabama campus (others feel free to chime in here if you feel differently). In numbers about 29% of young women on the UA campus are Greek. It seems that if your are in a sorority then for the most part that is the social circle of friends you hang out with. Non Greek girls do not go to sorority functions (sisterhoods or swaps with fraternities). However, if you are a non Greek girl you can/might go a fraternity band party /lawn party and yes, there will be alcohol and drinking at these functions. Do all sorority girls drink…no they do not. Many girls chose to attend parties but remain “dry” for the evening…they have figured out you do not need to be intoxicated to have fun.
The houses at UA are large (over 200 girls!) and within them you will find lots of different types of girls. Many houses have girls who are in the Honors College. You will also find girls who are involved in lots of different organizations. My D participates in many different clubs and organizations on campus…she is incredibly busy and involved. My D’s house has a bible study which my D attends when she is able, there is also a all Greek bible study that meets as well ( and although I don’t know for sure I would be surprised if there was this opportunity for independents as well)
Sororities can be time consuming. There are lots of activities, meetings, philanthropy projects, swaps, sisterhoods …just to name a few that will take time. My D learned very quickly that she had to mange her time very well. Sororities have required study hall hours for pledges which helps with time management as far as homework goes.
Many parents and students posting here will tell you that if you choose not to pledge a sorority that there are lots of social activities that you can get involved in. Just from looking at the Honors College list of activities there seems to lots of opportunities to do social things and make friends. Greek life is not for everyone! Dorms will plan activities for their students to participate in. To me the difference seems to be that you maybe have to put yourself out there a little more…to find an activity, make the decision to become involved and then follow through. If you are in a sorority everything is already planned and all you have to do is show up. I don’t want it to sound like you are “forced” to attend parties on the weekends, most swaps are not required but you are encouraged to become “involved” in the activities your particular sorority participates in.
I would also point out that non Greeks party and drink as well…the alcohol part of UA is not solely limited to those who are in a fraternity or sorority.<br>
Your sisters’ life both in the classroom and out of the classroom will be what she chooses to make it.
If she chooses to go Greek then she will find a house of sisters and I am confident she will make friends in that house with girls who like to do the same things she does.
If she chooses not to go Greek than I would encourage her to attend Alabama Action perhaps to bond with some of those girls coming into the Honors college…thus giving her some friends and acquaintances before school begins. I would also encourage her to attend Get on Board day (usually held right after school begins) and choose a club or two or some other organization to become involved in.
Bottom line…Friday and Saturday nights there will be drinking and parties to attend if your sister wants…but oh my there are so many other things to do if she wants to look and find them…concerts, movies, Quidditch on the Quad, Intramural sports, football games, Basketball games, (My D went her first Gymnastics match a couple of weeks ago and is hooked), philanthropy projects, there was a Bama Idol contest…so yes lots to do besides party…it’s a choice 
I am sure others can add more to this…</p>
<p>Crimson217 - re invites to fraternity events, if your son does not know anyone currently in any of the houses, he can register with the IFC and I would also maybe suggest emailing the rush chair of each house (if listed on their website) and introducing himself. </p>
<p>Recs are not needed in the same way they are for sorority rush. The main thing is that your son identifies a couple of houses where he likes the guys, gets on well with them, and feels like he could contribute to the house. Then he can spend time narrowing down his choice. </p>
<p>Make sure you read the IFC page on the UA Greek Life site: [Greek</a> Life](<a href=“http://www.greeklife.ua.edu/ifcrecruitment.html]Greek”>http://www.greeklife.ua.edu/ifcrecruitment.html)</p>
<p>Please make sure you are all aware of the costs of membership and that it can range quite widely depending on the house</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>PS Sister is in a sorority at UA. She doesn’t drink. She was a band party once when she ran into a friend from HS who is not Greek. Friend was TRASHED. Friend accidentally knocked sister over so she ended up on the beery, dirty floor in her new outfit that she had worked her part time job for. Sister very unimpressed. Fraternity brothers (sober) equally unimpressed and got drunk girl’s friends to escort their friend off the premises…</p>
<p>good point…</p>
<p>Some Greeks are not partiers…and some non-Greeks do party. It depends on the kid.</p>
<p>That’s pretty much how it is at any school.</p>
<p>As far as fraternity parties. All females (both greek & GDI) are allowed to attend band parties. A male must know an active (not a pledge) and have his name either put on the list or have the active come to the door/gate to tell the pledges to let them in. </p>
<p>There are some great fraternity parties that have famous bands and performers. The fraternities spend a lot of money booking these acts and obviously they’re gonna keep the male “competition” to a minimum. </p>
<p>Swaps are between a specific fraternity and sorority and are closed to outsiders. These usually occur on Thursday nights. </p>
<p>Sunday afternoon Lawn parties are usually just for fraternity members and their dates though sometimes a GDI friend may be invited to hang out. These parties are pretty low key.</p>
<p>What is the difference between the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities?</p>
<p>To be blunt, skin color. IFC fraternities are the traditionally white fraternities on campus whereas the NPHC is made up of the traditional black fraternities.</p>
<p>Note that just about all of the IFC fraternities at UA are not “white” fraternities at most schools across the country. Whereas the NPHC fraternities are those found on the HBCU campuses as well.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned in another thread that all of Bama’s frats are segregated(by choice). </p>
<p>Is that complete segregation? Like literally every frat and sorority is either 100% white or 100% black? Or just in general give or take a few people?</p>
<p>Not looking to stir anything up, but that is kind of crazy and hard to believe.</p>
<p>It isn’t 100% across all frats but it’s 100% segregated by choice in I’d say 95% of them. </p>
<p>Every now and then there will be a white pledge pop up in a historically black fraternity. And the last few years has seen a couple of new fraternities come on campus. The new one’s I believe are mixed. There might be one or two minorities that have pledged traditionally “white” Non-machine fraternities over the years but I’m not sure if that’s the case this year or not. I do know there are no blacks in any machine fraternity or sorority at this time.</p>
<p>ONE (Theta Nu Epsilon) is the “Machine”. As defined by the Crimson White it’s a coalition of select fraternities and sororities designed to influence campus politics. In practicality the Machine is made up of the historically strongest (alumni, money, tradition) fraternities and sororities on campus.</p>
<p>By the way this isn’t just a UA thing. Greeks are like this at most other SEC schools such as auburn, Ole Miss, Miss St, UGA , and Tennessee.</p>