<p>Bama is one of the few campuses that has a separate Upperclassmen Quota. It was adopted several years ago. Before that though, there was a huge bias against Upperclassmen (aka non-Freshmen) and it was nearly impossible to get a Bid.</p>
<p>Things a non-Freshmen needs for a (hopefully) successful Recruitment:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Recs - Just like Freshmen, at least one for every chapter.</p></li>
<li><p>Grades - Chapters want new members who will help their GPA standing. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for at least Panhellenic Average. I don’t know last fall’s yet, but spring’s was 3.24.</p></li>
<li><p>Strong Resume - Chapters want new members who will get their name out on campus and be involved within. Too often there are Upperclassmen PNMs who did everything in HS, then came to college and zilch. Either she sat around her dorm room, went home all the time, was struggling with school, or worse was partying a lot. The assumption then is that the PNM won’t be active as a member either. Plus keep in mind there are many other PNMs to choose from with strong resumes.</p></li>
<li><p>Friends in the Chapters - Having someone “on the inside” who already knows and likes you and is pulling for you will help. Sorority girls are everywhere in classes, at the Rec center, in clubs/orgs, etc. Meet them, get to know them, become friends with them – just don’t be a creepy stalker. ;)</p></li>
<li><p>An open mind. If you have your heart set on only 1 or 2, you may end up disappointed. It is a mutual selection process, meaning they have to want (invite) you and you have to want (accept) them. This applies to Freshmen as well as Upperclassmen.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have to say and I know I will be bashed here, the more I read about sororities at UA the happier I am that my daughter has no interest (if she attends). The cost would be a deal breaker anyway for us but I would rather see my kid out and about on campus, interacting with a much broader range of kids. She has always been involved in volunteer activities and I see no reason that should change. To me, the sororities and the whole Greek system seem too insular. It’s funny but the kids she has been in contact with on the Facebook group that come from this area of the country, show no interest either. I am sure she will have a full and wonderful college experience without the need to go Greek.</p>
<p>There’s no need to pledge if a student doesn’t want to. I would recommend that those who won’t be pledging to try to avoid a dorm like Tutwiler where most girls do pledge. </p>
<p>It might also help to find roommates thru Facebook who also won’t be pledging.</p>
<p>There are many, many activities for kids to do who don’t pledge. My kids stay busy with other clubs, associations with their major, etc.</p>
No bashing here other than to say it would be nice if you would return the favor. I find it sad that you felt the need to make a negative stereotypical comment about the Greek system, which btw makes up 25% of the student population.</p>
<p>I don’t think that Peg is bashing the greek system. I think she believes that it’s not affordable for them, and it may be a distraction for her daughter if she pledged.</p>
<p>Some students can handle an academic load at school, and the social demands of the Greek system. Some cannot. </p>
<p>The cost is surely a consideration - especially for an OOS student. I’m sure that Peg is also relieved that her D won’t be insisting on pledging since cost is a concern.</p>
<p>Thank you Mom, I never bashed the system, just said I was glad my daughter does not want any part of it. The cost is a huge part of it, especially since we are oos and not honors. Everything I have read has made me believe it is a very insular group and that is not the experience that I would want for my dd. I still do not see how in my above post I made any stereotypical comments about the Greek system. Unfortunately, I believe perceived notions about the Greek system in southern schools is what keeps many from the northeast from applying. If someone were to tell me right now that my dd’s college experience would be ruined by not joining a sorority, I would never let her attend. To be honest, I am more concerned about her being a Jew in the south then anything else.</p>
<p>Peg, I can see where someone with no greek letter experience could be influended by movies like House Bunny and Sorority Wars that sterotype greeks negatively. My experince however, was positive, and my sisters are life long friends. I want the same for my daughter, and hopefully have prepared her for recruitment, and the fact that she may not get invites to all the houses she would like. It’s really not any different than job interviews, theatre or music auditions, pageants, or scholarship interviews. It’s competitive,
but in the end most girls end up in a house where they are happy. It’s part of the culture of many southern schools.
Btw way, my sorority little sis was Jewish. She transfered to IU after freshman year because our school, (her home state flagship) did not have enough Jewish boys in the dating pool. This was 30 years ago. As far as I know, she was the only Jewish member we had, and we loved her.</p>
<p>Well, I’m glad this is changing/has changed. If I go to Bama, I’ll be coming from like 12-13 hours away OOS, and apparently there are events in the spring for H.S. seniors that you are supposed to go to if you want to rush. Is that true? Are they optional?</p>
<p>I had always figured that when you were a freshman or sophomore in the fall you went to a couple of houses and from that you picked a house based on which house offered you a bid. Nothing done while in H.S… Am I missing something, or misinterpreting something?</p>
<p>It is a big decision to go Greek. Some are very against it, while others are equally for it. Some Greeks fit the stereotypes, others don’t. With the possible it exception of the SGA, a GDI can do anything a Greek can. I gave the idea serious thought and decided it was not how I wanted to spend my college years. Sure 25% of the student body is Greek, but then 75% isn’t. People from all over the country become Greek, but the culture of each fraternity/sorority differs between different organizations and the different chapters within a single organization. Most parents want their children to do what the parent wants them to do. When the child does fulfill the parent’s desires, the parent is obviously happy. However, a parent needs to stand beside their child when the child decides to take a slightly different path because that may be what’s right for that child.</p>
<p>Peg, UA actually has a long history of Jewish students. During the Great Depression, UA advertised its lack of quotas, warm weather, and low OOS rates to Jewish students in New York and New Jersey and they came in droves. When combined with the Jewish students who were raised in the south, Jewish students made up a third of the campus population. While that percentage has gone down since then, it is not uncommon to have a Jewish kid from New York come down to attend UA because (s)he is a third or fourth generation student. The campus Hillel organization is very active and is even building a new building for themselves just off campus.</p>
<p>*apparently there are events in the spring for H.S. seniors that you are supposed to go to if you want to rush. Is that true? Are they optional?
*</p>
<p>There is a Greek Preview Weekend that some try to attend. </p>
<p>Dates Set for Greek Preview Weekend
The Interfraternity Council and the Alabama Panhellenic Association have announced that Greek Preview Weekend will take place on Saturday, March 27th. Preview weekend is an opportunity for incoming students and interested high school seniors and their parents to visit the Capstone and learn more about the Greek community and the recruitment process.</p>
<p>UA actually has a long history of Jewish students. During the Great Depression, UA advertised its lack of quotas, warm weather, and low OOS rates to Jewish students in New York and New Jersey and they came in droves. When combined with the Jewish students who were raised in the south, Jewish students made up a third of the campus population. While that percentage has gone down since then, it is not uncommon to have a Jewish kid from New York come down to attend UA because (s)he is a third or fourth generation student. The campus Hillel organization is very active and is even building a new building for themselves just off campus.</p>
<p>That is very interesting. I don’t know if they are building a new Hillel building, but they are building a new temple. Thanks for sharing SEA_Tide.</p>
<p>*UA advertised its lack of quotas, *</p>
<p>It is shocking to look back and remember that the ivies and the sisters used to have Jewish quotas.</p>
<p>PegV420: if it makes you feel any better, my D had to move from NJ to TN to be invited to her first Bar Mitzvah While the percentage of the Jewish population is significantly smaller in the South than in the NYC area (and I can’t remember where you’re from), most areas that are a small city and larger have an established Jewish community. Especially near major medical centers. I would think that Birmingham has a fairly large Jewish community and that’s less than an hour from Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>A lot of the conservative Christian churches are staunch supporters of Israel due to their literal interpretation of the Bible so, from what I see and hear, there isn’t any apparent anti Jewish bias. Curiosity, yes. Now, from what I hear, the Mormon kids can be given quite a hard time but that’s another topic (and not specific to AL, it could just be in my neck of the woods.)</p>
<p>Very interesting about the lack of quotas in the past. To think they advertised this is amazing (in a good way). I have no preconceived ideas of the Greek system from watching movies. Please give me more credit then that. I was actually a little sister to a frat in college my first year and that small taste was enough for me. I too have told my daughter that although 30% of the kids are Greek, that means 70% are not. According to my limited math abilities, that is still the larger percentage. Socially I do not worry about this youngest child of mine. Out of my three, she is the one that people tend to gravitate towards. Now if she would just hear from the last two schools, find time for us to visit Alabama and then finally figure out where the heck she will be next year. I thought it was supposed to be easier with each child, not harder!</p>
Peg, had you left off there both in this post and the earlier one, then I would not have said anything. Yes being Greek is a significant expense. However, both times you went on to say…</p>
<p>
You stated your opinions are based on what you read and your perceived notions rather than on facts or even personal experience. As with any stereotype there are some that fit, but many that don’t. To be clear, that is what I meant when I said it saddened me.</p>
<p>You continue to use the word “insular”. I admit I should have asked this first, but please explain. Do you believe that Greeks are not friends with, date anyone, or associate with others who are not Greek? If that is the case, then it is not accurate. If you take issue with the fact that membership is not open to everyone, then you have a valid point. Greeks do have membership selection criteria, but a lot of organizations have selection criteria, even Universities. Greeks also have limits on how many Bids they can extend and on total membership numbers. This is intended to create fairness and parity amongst all groups.</p>
<p>
No one has said or even implied this, certainly not me. My point was merely that when you have a negative opinion regarding the entire Greek System based only on stereotypes and/or hearsay, then you have a negative opinion regarding 25% of the student population that may be undeserved.</p>
<p>
Honestly very few people I know, Greek, non-Greek, and non-students (adults if you will), care that much about anyone else’s religious beliefs or lack thereof. That is unless that person is constantly trying to proselytize or passing judgement on others. Then that’s just annoying regardless of who the person is or what their religion is. :)</p>
<p>Honestly very few people I know, Greek, non-Greek, and non-students (adults if you will), care that much about anyone else’s religious beliefs or lack thereof. That is unless that person is constantly trying to proselytize or passing judgement on others. Then that’s just annoying regardless of who the person is or what their religion is.</p>
<p>This is true. No one cares what someone else’s religion is. People are people. </p>
<p>I have had 3 or 4 Jewish families contact me by PM with the same concern. I understand the concern. I was concerned that my Catholic children would be seen as odditites and might receive comments. I just don’t think the kids at Bama really care about what someone else’s religion is.</p>
<p>My D is a current freshman. She did go Greek, but our main goal was to have her be in the process to see if was something she was interested in.</p>
<p>We did attend the Greek Preview Weekend and it was a well organized event. She liked what she saw and decided to continue in the process…</p>
<p>And while only 25% are greek…
Alabama had 5000 incoming freshman; if 1/2 are female and out of that 2500 1200Plus accepted bids the numbers are quite large.</p>
<p>That said for her it is all about meeting people. She loves it & is also very active in other groups on campus.</p>
<p>Out of her friends at home; she seems one of the happiest!</p>
<p>And this week with the 70 degree weather has been fabulous.</p>
<p>Also if this matters Ds pledge class has quite a few Jewish young ladies, from all over the USA. And one of her favorite frats to hang with is the Jewish one!! I love it: our city is not very diverse & I think it is great to see other religions/ be exposed to new things!!</p>
<p>*And this week with the 70 degree weather has been fabulous. *</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you just know that it would warm up after CSDay! LOL</p>
<p>* Also if this matters Ds pledge class has quite a few Jewish young ladies, from all over the USA. And one of her favorite frats to hang with is the Jewish one!! I love it: our city is not very diverse & I think it is great to see other religions/ be exposed to new things!! *</p>
Some cannot. </p>