<p>from what i have heard, it is not ncessary to “know” the person who writes a rec for you. kind of seems dumb, but maybe it is just some of the hoops you have to jump through. i have had a few people offer to write a rec for my DD and they don’t know her at all.</p>
<p>: /</p>
<p>when is the right time to ask people for recs? wait until spring? or go ahead and do it sooner when people may not be as busy??</p>
<p>The person writing the rec should either know the candidate, or her family, or know somebody who knows them. You need to look for an Alumnae Panhellenic in your area. They often hold evens for girls going out for recruitment (AKA rush) to collect information and distribute it to member groups. Go to [National</a> Panhellenic Conference](<a href=“http://www.npcwomen.org/alumnae-panhellenics/directory.aspx]National”>http://www.npcwomen.org/alumnae-panhellenics/directory.aspx) . But your best bet is to begin asking around: teachers, friends, parents of friends. Does she have older friends who have pledged? Write this all down…it’s really early right now to act, but after the first of the year, things will begin to move more quickly. But grades are TOP. Some sororities have a 3.5 GPA as a minimum to pledge. Less than a 3.0 - you can just about forget it.</p>
<p>So tell her to work on her grades, and participate in extracurricular activities - church youth group, paid work, clubs, volunteer work (especially) etc. About April, and no later than May, she should ask sorority alumnae if they will write her a rec. She needs to make up a nice packet - photo(s), resume, high school transcript - and have several ready so she can hand it to the alum. Be sure to include parents’ names, colleges (if any), Greek group (if any), grades, ACT/SAT score, class rank, any other female relatives who are GLO members (GLO=Greek Leadership Organization).</p>
<p>AmyAlumna: Thanks so much. That was a very well done summary! I spent some time the other day over at the Greek website recommended and I was overwhelmed! So foreign to me. Grades and test scores are covered and she’s been active in YG and church since forever. Plus she has leadership positions in school and some good ECs.</p>
<p>I think we probably know more alumnae that we know; I’m going to have her start putting out some casual feelers and she knows 2 moms pretty well that have big UA ties (and I know for sure that one of them was an officer in her sorority.)</p>
<p>Another newbie sorority question: how do you know what the differences are from organization to organization? Is it just a matter of the girls going to every house and seeing for themselves or is there some way to find out more about them before hand?</p>
<p>Are there sororities that cater to really smart girls?</p>
<p>RobD, I’m sure you know more Greek alumnae than you think. When you find someone who is a sorority alum and willing to write a rec, ask if she knows members of other sororities. Often an alum will pass along info to her friends.
As far as differences between organizations…yes, of course, there are differences. You can study the chapter Web sites, but really visiting groups is the best way via those first 2 days of recruitment. Keep in mind, too, that each new member class changes slightly the complexion of the group. Also, in the spring - usually April - there is a Panhellenic Saturday where prospective students and parents can visit the first floors of each house, and learn more about the Greek system.</p>
<p>Navarre1, in spring of 2008, the all-sorority GPA average was 3.17, while the all-independent women’s GPA was 3.07, and the all-women’s GPA was 3.08. You can find historical data here: [Greek</a> Life](<a href=“http://www.greeklife.ua.edu/forms.html]Greek”>http://www.greeklife.ua.edu/forms.html). Every sorority’s membership includes a range of attitudes from serious student to party girl. However, every sorority also insists on maintaining a minimum GPA (it varies and is set by the chapter). Fall below that for X number of semesters and you will be asked to resign…if the university hasn’t already suspended you. Members are encouraged to excel academically through recognition and awards as well as study groups and networking with others in your major.</p>
<p>Academics are important, yes, but also remember that the idea behind belonging to a sorority is to add to the academic experience. A sorority offers opportunities to learn leadership skills serving as an officer or even part of a committee, and to learn teamwork. If I had not been my chapter’s treasurer, I would know nothing about payroll taxes, mortgages, maintenance costs, garnishing wages, 941 forms and a whole host of other useful knowledge sets (LOL!).</p>
<p>pramirez184, sounds like you have been listening to “tent talk” AKA gossip! And that gossip does exactly what gossip does - it grows. </p>
<p>There is no requirement of exactly what to wear to recruitment parties, but Panhellenic does post photos to help give candidates an idea of how to dress [What</a> to Except? : Panhellenic Association](<a href=“http://www.uapanhellenic.com/what_to_expect.php]What”>http://www.uapanhellenic.com/what_to_expect.php) . Yes, you’d probably wear heels to the parties but you can put your flip flops on between parties. There’s no requirement to smile smile smile, but you do want to look pleasant! Most girls going through a full day of recruitment were probably GLAD to go to bed before midnight! And most girls going through are 18-19 years old and aren’t supposed to be drinking anyway. </p>
<p>Recruitment takes place before school starts, so there aren’t going to be many “friends” around until later in the week. </p>
<p>“What they wore was chosen for them on a day-to-day basis.” Sorority members’ recruitment outfits are carefully coordinated, yes, but not candidates.'</p>
<p>“The sororities put spies (definitely girls but probably guys from the frat their paired up with too) on campus to make sure the rules were obeyed.” Why would you want to break the rules and jeopordize your chances?</p>
<p>“As far as legacies go, they will only get you to the 2nd day and after that it doesn’t mean a whole lot.” Very true. Several UA sororities have been there for more than 100 years and have more legacies coming through recruitment than there are spaces for members.</p>
<p>AmyAlumna, Thanks again! </p>
<p>Just found out this weekend that a friend from church was in a sorority from UA and I turned to my DD and said “I told you I thought we would know a few!” She was very gracious and offered to write a recommendation before DD could even ask. I told her we were going to pick her brain.</p>
<p>Pramirez184, your friends gave you some bad info. This year there were just shy of 1500 women go through (potential new members or PNMs) and over 1200 were given bids. Of those who didn’t get bids, most voluntarily withdrew from recruitment because they were not happy with the choices they had remaining. Had they continued with an open mind, they might have gotten a bid.</p>
<p>Sororities don’t send out spies to make sure the girls aren’t breaking the rules. Actually most sorority girls are in the houses until the wee hours of the morning sitting in membership selection meetings. When they aren’t at the house, they’re trying to grab some sleep because not only is recruitment week long and stressful, but they also had a week of workshop before this. There reaqlly isn’t any time for active members to be out partying during recruitment.</p>
<p>There are Sigma Rho Chi’s (aka sorority recruitment counselors) and J-Board (judiciary) members whose job it is to make sure recruitment rules are followed by both sorority members and PNMs. Mostly they are concentrating on things like stopping dirty rushing.</p>
<p>As for PNMs feeling bad because all their new friends are out partying, that’s not entirely true either. Recruitment week occurs before other students return to campus. So the other people in the dorms are mostly other PNMs who are in the same boat. Besides, these PNMs are going through recruitment hoping to impress the actives and get a bid. To do that they need to put their best foot forward. It wouldn’t be very smart to show up exhausted from a night out or worse hungover. That’s a quick way to get dropped.</p>
<p>^^^I think you just clarified the rumor that was spreading during Recruitment week (I was also on campus that week, so I heard it too). It appears that there are spies, just not spies to the degree we were hearing. I think the rule we can see here is don’t do anything stupid that will get you dropped. Yes, there is a chance that a girl will not get a bid from any house or more likely, no house that she is interested in. Yet, most girls get into the houses they want. Rejection is hard for some people to take, which is why Tut is under a higher degree of security during this time.</p>
<p>Thank you for clarifying the rumors and giving us a little more insight into the process. Potential sorority members have to put their best foot forward because UA does not guarantee that they will get into a specific sorority, but gives them a high chance that they will be given at least one bid, albeit possibly at a sorority they don’t wish to join.</p>
<p>IF anyone needs a rec, my sorority is on campus. I will gladly write one. Just PM me.</p>
<p>pramirez…your info is so totally wrong. Are you a guy?</p>
<p>The numbers of girls who got bids was very large, and no one chooses the rushee’s clothes. However, each rush day has a theme and the sorority girls cordinate for that. And, I have news for you…most girls who want to join, actually LIKE wearing dresses (and heels); it’s not some burden.</p>
<p>General question about fall sorority recruitment - Is there time for other activities? Clubs? Particularly club sports which require a tryout? I’d be interested in both the Alabama and general answers. Thanks.</p>
<p>Are you wondering if a girl will have time to be in a sorority AND do club sports? Or are you asking if a girl has time to go thru the Rush week and do a tryout for a sport?</p>
<p>BTW…which club sport?</p>
<p>mom2 - Yes…I am really asking both questions, but am primarily concerned with competition/coordination of rush and tryouts. My daughter is interested primarily in soccer, but maybe lacrosse. Just like sororities it depends on the right fit with the team.</p>
<p>Rush takes place in early August. When are tryouts for club soccer? Anyone know? </p>
<p>Is girls club soccer a fall sport? Does anyone know where this info can be found?</p>
<p>Is girls club soccer a spring sport? If so, then it shouldn’t interfere with rush or pledging. Typically, once you’re an active, these kinds of things are more easily accomodated. Others can correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>Soccer appears to have tryouts in the end of August [The</a> University of Alabama Student Recreation Center](<a href=“http://urec.ua.edu/scwsoccer.cfm]The”>http://urec.ua.edu/scwsoccer.cfm) , lacrosse is in the spring [The</a> University of Alabama Student Recreation Center](<a href=“http://urec.ua.edu/scwlacrosse.cfm]The”>http://urec.ua.edu/scwlacrosse.cfm) . Sororities do have a lot of activities (swaps, etc) that make it hard to join clubs that meet on certain days.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Aren’t the swaps at night? Or do they have them during the day?</p>
<p>Just wanted to correct something I posted earlier on a different thread regarding Spring sorority Recruitment at UA.</p>
<p>I believe I was correct when I said Bama rarely offers a Spring Recruitment, but this year appears to be different! One of the Chapter advisors on greekchat just confirmed that the area NPC advisor, Chapter advisors, and the Alabama Panhellenic Association have decided to increase the Chapter total to a whopping 225! This means that some of the chapters who are currently below that total will be participating in a Spring recruitment (2010) where they can recruit up to that new total. This does not necessarily mean there will be recruitment again next spring (2011)–in case any prospective students or their parents are wondering–but nonetheless, it just goes to show “never say never.” And this is a wonderful opportunity for current Bama students! :)</p>
<p>If anyone is interested in learning more, there’s a link on the UA Greek Life webpage or a thread on greekchat.com called “Spring Recruitment at the University of Alabama?”</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>also, houses have sometimes been allowed to exceed “quotas” for bids. I don’t know the exact circumstances that allow for that (maybe a larger number of girls rushing than expected?)</p>