<p>Not sure when rush is–I just know D can’t participate because of a timing conflict with a show she’s in (not that she was terribly enthusiastic about the idea anyway). She’ll think about it again next year. Apple store says at least a week to fix the laptop. She is not happy. Me neither–it was a pricey piece of equipment and shouldn’t fail this quickly.</p>
<p>S called before dinner last night. Apparently one of the students in his UC is on academic probation–the boy has a lot of LDs and gets a lot of extra assistance/services from AU but is still having extreme academic difficulty. The kids are upset and trying to figure out how to help him. Other than making sure he attends the various study groups that the kids set up for their classes that this boy may be in (and the UC does not have an academic class this semester–it’s a first semester only thing, just some sort of no-credit “lab” for this semester), what other ideas do you have?</p>
<p>boysx3, what a lovely bunch of friends to be so concerned and involved! But if the boy is not attending his study groups without their intervention, and AU’s very strong disability support services aren’t getting him where he needs to be, this may be a situation that is beyond their good intentions. I think the most they can do is offer moral support. It may be that college (or AU) is not the right option for him at this point in his life, that he took particularly challenging classes first semester, or that other issues not related to his LD’s are getting in the way. My D has ADHD and an LD, and I know that kids with these issues may suffer from depression and low self esteem as the result of their struggles. It can be complicated.</p>
<p>MommaJ,</p>
<p>Yes, S3 has made a wonderful group of friends. I tend to agree with you…AU may indeed be too much for this kid. It’s hard to feel like you need to study all the time just to begin to keep up when there is so much else going on…and, of course, students choose AU just because there is so much else going on…</p>
<p>I think S may have taken on too much this semester as well and I am encouraging him to drop a class. He is signed up for 19 hours (four 4-hour classes and one 3-hour). One class he is the only freshman with all juniors and seniors; one class is a foreign language (a major struggle for a mildly dyslexic boy who can’t spell in English without spell check—he has a tendency to include lots of extra vowels and doesn’t “see” them when he proofs written work); and one class is statistics for a kid who doesn’t enjoy math. </p>
<p>He will have to decide what to to…and make sure he makes up his mind in time. His grades first semester were good but he could have done a bit better…have to give him a bit of slack because adjusting to college life but he feels he could have done a bit better.</p>
<p>So, is anyone’s student forthcoming with any details about rush or pledging? </p>
<p>S has said he has decided he is only interested in a certain fraternity and plans not to go to rush events at any others. He seems confident he will get a bid. I am a bit worried about the whole thing…but I guess it is all good if he either wants to join one house or none at all, and if he does not get a bid he just won’t join a fraternity.</p>
<p>He said he and his friends have all decided to each make their own decisions w/o influencing each other…should be interesting to see how it all shakes out. Who joins any, and if so, where…</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the norm is for pledging at AU? I know at some campuses it can be very extreme, and at others it’s nothing more than hanging at the house at mandated times and doing a community service project as a pledge class. S2 is president of his house at DU–they have daily mandated study halls for pledges and for members with a gpa under 2.75 (and they also have wild parties…son has shared some pictures).</p>
<p>Sorry for rambling. Just seeking some info that son can’t or won’t share on</p>
<p>boysx3: some schools have an office for Greek life; within that office will be someone who can field parents questions about the rush/pledging process at the particular school; this was very helpful to us for our older daughter since H and I attended a college without Greek life…we were clueless…you have experience at other schools, but it wouldn’t hurt to know how AU handles it…</p>
<p>some schools even provide this type of info on their greek life websites…</p>
<p>boysx3,</p>
<p>I can’t help with your questions, but they reminded me of a conversation I had with D during rush. She wasn’t participating due to conflicts, but had agreed, after I put on a little pressure, that she would seriously consider the process next year–she had a negative view of sororities, based just on stereotypes, and I wanted her to keep an open mind. Then during the current rush, every time she was trying to get from point A to point B on campus or in her dorm, she seemed to run into a sorority event that blocked her way and made her re-route. She called in frustration, saying in a tone you had to hear to appreciate, “OMG, every time I try to get somewhere I run in of a bunch of preppie girls CHANTING!!” Needless to say, I don’t think she’s managed to keep her mind as open as I had hoped.</p>
<p>Given the fact that a relatively small percentage of AU students are in Greek organizations, I don’t think it will be more than a passing blip of disappointment if your son doesn’t get into the one he chose. From your other posts he certainly seems to be thriving socially without benefit of a frat.</p>
<p>Thanks Rodney and MommaJ,</p>
<p>I’m not sure why S is interested in joining because it’s not like he needs another social outlet! The guys groups seem to be a lot more laid back than the girls,and if I know my son the group he is interested in is not preppy at all…a bunch of (smart) jocks…maybe. From the little he has said, it seems like a lot of the men in the house he is interested in play soccer on either the AU varsity and/or club soccer team. I think they have some sort of house in Maryland (???) but that members live on campus and use the house for social things (I think the interpretation is parties on weekends). I’m not at all comfortable with a lot of this…yet S2 is pres of his frat in Denver, and they have parties in the house they live in aplenty…so I don’t know why this bothers me so much. I know S3 has been to parties at the Maryland house, and he says there is DD transportation provided. </p>
<p>I feel like I am setting a different standard for this son and it bothers me that I feel that way. He has generally shown good judgment (no one is perfect!) and has a knack for making the right choices.</p>
<p>Unfortuantely from the AU website and from the fraternity’s public webpage, I can’t tell anything about this group or their reputation or pledge practices. S says they have the second highest gpa on campus, and that it is above the all-campus gpa.</p>
<p>Definition of Frat: Den Of iniquitous activities. Need I say more. (:</p>
<p>Has anyone heard from mini or Ellen? Neither has posted recently. I wonder if they are involved with Haiti relief?</p>
<p>David is off in India for 3 weeks and I am swamped with work. Daughter seems to be settling into the new semester though she is taking a Gen Ed science that she is not thrilled with. Fortunately she is taking it P/F so she only needs to pass.
Ellen</p>
<p>do they post decisions online or is it just through the mail?</p>
<p>Is this thread working properly? My last post disappeared?</p>
<p>Syyan4 If I remember correctly you get an email. It has been 2 years since my daughter was accepted but I think it was an email with the eagle mascot saying congratulations. Then you get a letter with financial aid info and lots of other stuff. I assume rejections just get a letter. Good luck.
Ellen</p>
<p>What will happen with sophomore housing? Will my daughter have a decent place to live other than a floor with out of control freshman or tripled? We still can’t get an answer, and don’t know whether to start looking for townhouses to purchase in the area for her to live or wait. Is anyone else looking for properties?? She is interested in a place in Cleveland Park or one on Foxhall Rd. If we acquire one in Cleveland Park, we will definitely need one with a parking spot. She is the new proud owner of a little Cooper.</p>
<p>cadmiumred 9/30/09:
“Concern about the cost of Family Weekend is certainly no joke for some of us. Sorry, not all of us can afford to take 6 kids from the dorm to Maggiano’s in Friendship Heights for dinner or let them ignore the meal plans.” </p>
<p>cadmiumred 1/25/10:
“…don’t know whether to start looking for townhouses to purchase in the area for her to live or wait. Is anyone else looking for properties?? She is interested in a place in Cleveland Park or one on Foxhall Rd. If we acquire one in Cleveland Park, we will definitely need one with a parking spot. She is the new proud owner of a little Cooper.”</p>
<p>Looks like the economic stimulus program is working great! Who knew?</p>
<p>Thanks MommaJ. I needed a chuckle on a dreary Monday morning!</p>
<p>boysx3</p>
<p>My son just talked to me last night about maybe pledging to a frat - might be the same one since he also said they have the second highest GPA on campus. He said that the process was that there were two “open” events (he already went to the first one and was planning on going to the second) followed by an invitation only event, then if they like you they give you a bid. He also didn’t seem worried about getting a bid.</p>
<p>The reasons why he said he was interested were the networking opportunites after graduation and making new friends. But he is worried about not being as close to his current friends.</p>
<p>@Cad</p>
<p>Are you out of your mind? You got your daughter a Mini Cooper in DC!? First of all, why in God’s name does your daughter need to drive anywhere in DC? Second of all, “one with a parking spot” good luck with that. Considering parking in DC is a rat race if I’ve ever seen one, get ready to shell out some major bucks for a place with one. If it were me, I’d save myself the cost of the car/parking and eat at 4 star restaurants every night, or, crazy idea, give that money to your daughter to invest in something.</p>
<p>katy,
wouldn’t it be funny if our boys know each other?</p>
<p>S was talking about a 20 year reunion of all the old members of the frat and all the networking opportunities too–</p>
<p>but your son was more forthcoming about the details of rush.</p>
<p>S also is considering that some of his friends may not want to pledge, or pledge the same house. But he also said that it is not a big deal to live with whomever you want–there is apparently no requirement to live only with fraternity members? Maybe your S has asked the same question?</p>