<p>I want a very honest answer on this, please no sugar coating. Bama is number one on my considerations list for many different factors, including their strong Greek system. I was made aware of just how intense recruitment is in the south when my aunt’s bestfriend told me about how it was for her daughter at UGA. I have done a lot more research and talked to many more people but the one thing that sometimes makes me nervous is that i’ve heard it can be hard for OOS students (I’m from Michigan) to get bids. I have spent a lot of time in Georgia and live in a very preppy suburb (our city’s colors are pink and green haha) so I wouldn’t stand out at all but still I wasn’t born and raised in the south.</p>
<p>I think Half of the young women in last year’s pledge classes were OOS.</p>
<p>That said, it can be difficult for some to obtain Recommendations for each of the Sororities, or even to understand the requirements for a successful recruitment because of differences in the manner of southern SEC recruitment.</p>
<p>It sounds as if you have an informed advocate in your Aunt’s best friend, and you could benefit greatly from her help.</p>
<p>Many, many young women from Michigan and Chicagoland are members of the current incoming freshman class. They are attracted to 'BAMA by the generous scholarships and welcoming nature of the school. Many of them are preparing for next Month’s Recruitment, and most will undoubtably be successful in finding a home with one of the sixteen Panhellenic Greek Letter Organizations (GLO). There are also other Greek organizations at BAMA who do not participate in formal recruitment which merit exploration.</p>
<p>That being said, to be successful, a young woman must have a strong GPA, a resume that displays involvement in extracurricular activities including philanthropies, and positive recommendations.</p>
<p>It does require extra effort to attend BAMA from OOS, and participating in Recruitment certainly does. Many of us on this forum are preparing to send our children to BAMA for the first time in just a few weeks. A good number of the girls will participate in Recruitment.</p>
<p>There are wonderful, wonderful women on this forum who will offer you guidance should you choose to attend and participate. </p>
<p>Have you visited the campus? A visit might " seal the deal" for you! It did for most of us OOSers who made the trip.</p>
<p>Do not be deterred because of your distance from Alabama!</p>
<p>Roll Tide!!!</p>
<p>My daughter pledged successfully as an out of state student, although Georgia is only one state over! However, she has many sorority sisters from the mid-west, California, Texas, and New England. The key for you will be preparation – educating yourself about the process, finding your rec letters, and understanding what you’re committing to as far as recruitment and pledging. There is a lot of information on this forum, and you will get some great advice as people post on your thread about how to proceed. You did mention that there were other factors influencing your desire to attend Alabama, so the advice above to schedule a visit is important. I know you understand that you will want your college to offer way more than a strong Greek system so make sure your exploration involves those factors as well.</p>
<p>Alabama has SO MANY OOS students that you can’t look at what happens at OTHER states’ schools which mostly enroll only instate students. </p>
<p>The Bama sororities have so many OOS members.</p>
<p>No sugar coating - either OOS OR in-state, you must have 1)a 3.0 or above, 2)activities, 3)recommendations, and 4)an open mind for a successful recruitment at Alabama.
That is not to say you won’t pledge without the above.</p>
<p>You COULD pledge an in-demand sorority with a 2.9, few activities, no recommendations and a determination to only accept one of 5 or 6 particular groups. But you would have to have prior friendships within this group and two or three members pulling for you.</p>
<p>There are so many girls going through - we’re creeping towards 2,100 this year - that none of the sororities have to pledge anyone with less than this. </p>
<p>To increase your chances of getting a bid a bid, do this:
1)Grades of 3.0 or better - the higher the better, because a few groups prefer 3.5 or above.
2)Good activities. Doesn’t have to be a long, long list. A few organizations that you love, are active in, and are not just another line in your yearbook.
3)Recommendations from sorority alumnae for every group. Yes, you could get a bid without them. But most will have them - why put another stumbling block in your way?
4)An open mind. “Tent talk” will tell you that a couple of sororities are “horrible” and another two or three are barely acceptable. That’s bull. Every sorority at Alabama has excellent leaders, great students, extraordinary women. Every sorority has a long list of normal, everyday girls. Every sorority (yes, even the in-demand 5 or 6) has a handful of stinkers. Go with the place you feel comfortable and at home. It’ll all work out.</p>
<p>And if you wind up not pledging? There are opportunities to pledge later, through Continuous Open Bidding (COB). </p>
<p>Believe it or not, the majority of students aren’t Greek. There’s a long list of clubs that are VERY active. There’s a “Get on Board Day” where you can walk around and talk to leaders of the groups and sign up.</p>
<p>Have a great college career! RTR!</p>
<p>over the past few years, UA recruitment has “guaranteed” bids to those girls who go through and maximize their options.</p>
<p>idk how that would work out for a girl who does not meet the minimum grade requirements, though.</p>
<p>there are a few sororities that take mostly in-state girls. your chances in these will be smaller, of course.</p>
<p>as long as you go into it with an open mind (and you have done your homework), you should come out with a bid.</p>
<p>Brutal honesty - If you want to be successful in the recruitment process…prepare AND have an open mind.
- Prepare - lots of posts on CC about this including recs (2 per house), GPA, involvement, etc…AlphaPhi mom and others have a wealth of knowledge - several posts and blogs you can read
- Have an open mind - do NOT listen to what others say about this one or that one…chose what your heart says, not what others whisper</p>
<p>I will share with you that a number of years ago, when OSS was just starting to ramp up, my DD went through recruitement as an OSS and it did not go well.</p>
<p>We did not know about CC, AlphaPhi mom or anything about how to prepare physically (right clothes brands aka Lilly Pulitizer) and emotionally.</p>
<p>She did not wind up a member of the Greek community…that said…after a rocky first semester…she had an AMAZING experience at UA!</p>
<p>She was in tons of organizations, has lots of friends from every single house, graduated with top awards in her school and is gainfully employed today.</p>
<p>Bottom line…UA is a wonderful school and everyone has a place…be open-minded, explore and follow your heart! Roll tide!</p>
<p>My DD is also from Michigan, going through recruitment this Fall. Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. Are you in Metro Detroit?</p>
<p>D had a very successful OOS rush experience last year. Did she work hard to find rec’s, absolutely! We would have been lost without the help of our local panhellenic organization…they came up with 2 recs for 13 of the houses at Bama. </p>
<p>It was a very stressful week for her…there were breakdowns and tears. But at the end of the process she ended up where she was meant to be. Her 3 roommates were all OOS from CA, GA and TX and they too all had very successful experiences.</p>
<p>You can get lots of help here…we are a friendly and helpful bunch.</p>
<p>I would agree with everything said above. I would suggest if you are able t come down for Preview. I am not sure if it will be in February or March but I think it’s helpful for OOS girls and their mothers. I would agree that there are a few houses that are a little “southern” heavy (they lean towards taking girls from the southern area around Alabama) but there are also houses that are very diverse by region. I can not even begin to tell you how important recs are. Even if you can only get a blind rec for certain houses do that. Start looking now…ask everyone you know, your parents, know, your family knows, your friends know. Reach out to your local panhellenic. If you don’t know if you have one google them. If you don’t have one where you live then go to the next closest metropolitan area.
GPA is a factor. With UA attracting so many high stats girls many sororities don’t even look at girls with a 3.0 but gravitate towards girls with a 3.5 and higher (and there are lots).
Make sure your resume is complete, formatted correctly (it is not the same as one you would do for a college app or a job) and has all the info your ladies who are writing your recs need.<br>
Do not listen to tent talk, trust the process and yes…as said above …keep an open mind. If you do you will end up where you belong.
Busymom is correct…there are many helpful ladies here and we are all willing to answer questions and help you along the way…feel free to ask!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great, helpful responses! Since one of the reasons I’m so interested in bama is the OOS scholarship I will have over a 3.5. I’m very involved in high school. I’ve heard of Preview weekend before but can someone describe it to me? Do I need to have at least one rec for every chapter?</p>
<p>Also meant to include that I am visiting early fall, can’t wait!</p>
<p>Could somebody tell me what houses are more Southern-focused?</p>
<p>sunshine341, I messaged you.</p>
<p>xoxlolo, GO TO PREVIEW!!! Take a parent(s)!!! Tell parent(s) to stay for every single info session for the parents!!! The ones about housing move-in and dining were some of the best!!! </p>
<p>In a nutshell, Preview is a mini Rush of sorts. While parents are at the parent sessions the girls are in their groups and going from house to house. You get a snippet of each house and what it is like and the girls in that house. There is also a fashion show for the girls and info session as well telling you what all you need to do in order to rush at UA. They will go over the whole rec thing and what to do, etc. </p>
<p>We were very blessed at this last Preview that TXA arranged for a mom/dad & daughter dinner one night w/ ahpimommy. Received some great info about the whole rec packet about what it is all about. </p>
<p>Going to Preview really can put your mind (and your mothers mind) at ease and know that you are prepared.</p>
<p>Kda can you message me that as well?</p>
<p>Thanks for the info on preview weekend! I will definitely try my hardest to make it with my mom.</p>
<p>I knew I had this text from my D concerning a question she posed to a UA sorority president awhile back about being OOS.</p>
<p>This is the response given my D:
“To not be worried about anything because I’m good at being able to carry on a conversation. That it’ll be easy as an out of state girl because I don’t know anyone so I can be myself.”</p>
<p>DD had an active UA sorority member who is from the Midwest tell her practically the same thing!</p>
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<p>Girls may not realize it, but this is huge! Not all schools will guarantee bids and I’ve seen girls at some schools have a full pref night and then not get a bid. Take advantage of the fact that a school with one of the most competitive recruitments in the country will guarantee a bid to those who maximize their options. It’s a two-way street and you have to meet them in the middle by maximizing your options. </p>
<p>A good mantra would be: I will maximize my options. How will you do it? By not getting tunnel vision during recruitment. How will you do that? By not listening to tent talk. Think for yourself and look for the good in each group.</p>