<p>UVA is one of my top choices. I'd like to get involved in Greek life, or at least meet new people.</p>
<p>I understand that choosing a sorority should be based on a personal fit -I wouldn't want to spend four years of my life with people I don't enjoy just for alumni benefits.</p>
<p>But if I do find people I like, would getting a bid be difficult? I'm from Southern California. I don't know anyone around Charlottesville, and I don't really know anyone affiliated with any sororities; my connections are limited to USC, and I don't think I'm applying there.</p>
<p>Are such connections and recommendation letters a huge help, or will I be alright?</p>
<p>you'll be fine. but i will warn you that the sorority process is incredibly superficial. if you're smart you'll rush in the fall your second year and avoid a lot of the crap thats involved.</p>
<p>What do you mean jags?? I'm a first year and I've been talking with my friends about soroities (yes, my posting name is deceiving!) and rushing. I'm interested in Tri-delta and was thinking about rushing this Spring. I don't know how the whole system works though. Is it better not to rush in Spring of first year? How would second year be better and why is it good to
"avoid a lot of the crap thats involved"? Is it not fun to rush?</p>
<p>rushing for girls is absolutely miserable. if you rush in the fall of your 2nd year you don't have to do 99% of the ridiculousness that is sorority rushing.</p>
<p>needless to say, there is nothing better than watching girls have to get dressed up in their best with pearls and heels to go walking around in the freezing cold (hopefully with tons of slush on the ground).</p>
<p>i may not be 100% correct on the whole process...being as the fraternity process is completely different...but i'm pretty sure the sorority process goes like this. you have to rush every house. and then the sororities do a sort of draft in order to get the girls they want--this way i think girls only get 1 bid.</p>
<p>I don't look too bad, according to similarly superficial homecoming polls and other people. I'd like to think I have a personality, more than anything else.</p>
<p>And I don't have money, but my family recently won an apartment in San Francisco in a poker game (high stakes, most def?), so we're not extremely poor anymore.</p>
<p>So it might be alright.</p>
<p>But I'm not sure I really want to be a part of something like that.
Positive, actually.</p>
<p>I'll figure it out when I get to campus, if I manage to get in.</p>
<p>It's not too different, although I've heard connections don't matter as much; I'm not sure though, it's probably about the same. I don't have any experience, I'm not credible.</p>
<p>I looked in threads on this subject here, and it seemed like they did in UVA. I don't mean to say California is better or anything, it's just than I wouldn't know anyone in Virginia. I was wondering if that would hurt at all.</p>
<p>We are from NorCal and have done rush at UVa and also on the west coast. They were not very different. My D at UVa did get the feeling (hear rumors) that there were a couple of very proper type houses that might be interested in recs...but that was unconfirmed. We did ask several friends-alums of different houses-to send a letter, but didn't (and don't) think it makes too much of a difference. Perhaps in different locations (Alabama?), but not really at UVa. D is now a third year and has seen rush from the sorority side. She says she has never heard a single word about recs/letters etc.
I believe that for the most part, the girls like who they like--and don't care what a bunch of old alums have to say about it. D had NO connections and was just fine--don't worry. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Recs can only help. Get in touch with your alumnae panhellenic in your home town and ask for the POC for each group that is at UVa. Recs definitely more important for some groups more than others. </p>
<p>If you want to maximize your options, go through recruitment your first available chance. At UVa, this would be second-semester freshman year. The only houses that can hold fall rush for sophomores will be the ones that didn't make quota. Don't go around saying you are rushing ABC or any other specific group.. The ABCs will think you are being presumptuous at best and the other groups will write you off completely. And yes, that kind of talk will get back to all the houses even at a school the size of UVa. </p>
<p>It is strongly advised for all PNMs going through Formal Recruitment to keep an open mind and to look at all the orgs beyond the stereotypes. It's difficult to not have preconceived notions when you've been on campus for a semester, but it would behoove you to do so.</p>
<p>Thanks Motherdear, your advice, particularly about fall rush, is very good. I'm the first in our entire extended family to voice interest in the Greek life, so I'm kind of going into this blindly. I didn't even know about the rec stuff that you mention, and what is a PNM?</p>
<p>Agree completely with going thru formal rush at the beginning of second semester rather than going thru in the fall. As superficial as the process is, no one has come up with anything better yet. Believe me, the girls on the sorority end know how tough it is also---it's like 600 girls interviewing for 600 jobs all at once. But somehow it works. You pick them and they pick you. Like motherdear says, chances for a successful rush increase drastically if you can keep yourself open minded through the week. Things may not go exactly as you've planned, but in the end, it most often works. The girls who seem most disappointed by the system are the ones that go in thinking there is only one sorority for them and then are devastated when they don't end up there (just like applying for colleges).
There are normally very few spots open for rush in the fall (Sept/Oct.). It is more casual, but much less choice.</p>
<p>A sorority rec is like a college recommendation. It will outline the Potential New Member's (PNM) achievements and honors, ECs, GPA.... If you are already in college and going to rush in January, start ASAP in case any of the rec-writers want to meet you when you are home for Thanksgiving. If you are still in high school, contact the alumnae once you decide where you are matriculating. </p>
<p>I write the majority of sorority recs in the late spring/summer which dovetails nicely with interviewing and writing college recs for my alma mater all winter. My D (who had January rush) was interviewed by Greek alumnae for sorority recs in the summer between hs and college.</p>
<p>From the National Panhellenic Conference website:</p>
<p>Email <a href="mailto:NPCCentral@npcwomen.org">NPCCentral@npcwomen.org</a> to obtain the current [local] Association President's name and mailing address.
Please provide reason for requesting contact and/or information.</p>
<p>The advice more than helps, it's much appreciated.</p>
<p>I'll look into it.</p>
<p>People have different opinions, but everyone seems knowledgeable. If I manage to get in, rushing definitely can't hurt. Thank you for the information.</p>
<p>If you would like a more complete view of all the houses, I would recommend you go through formal recruitment in the spring semester. As MotherDear as said, only the houses that didn't make quota in the spring semester will be holding fall informal recruitment. </p>
<p>Sorority recruitment is absolutely miserable, there's a lengthy thread in the UVA 2011 forum for information regarding what to bring, etc.</p>
<p>And don't worry about recommendations, I was from overseas and got a bid. Just be (oh the cliche saying) yourself. Hope you go through recruitment and good luck!</p>
<p>Please tell me what is absolutely miserable about it? I'll look at the 2011 forums, but I'm just curious from your point of view. I'm gonna rush in the spring.</p>
<p>It's mostly due to the usual crappy weather, long hours of walking/standing/smiling, and the crushing feeling of so many choices being thrown at you at once and you have to make decisions in a short span of time about which houses you do/don't like.</p>