So I registered for recruitment back in November and recruitment is at the end of January. I registered before I declared my second major and before I realized that I am going to have a very heavy workload in the coming semesters. Now that it’s getting closer to recruitment, I’m beginning to think I don’t want to do it because I won’t have the time. I know they can be time consuming and if I join I would want to give it my all, but I don’t feel I can. Has anyone ever registered for recruitment but never gone through with it? Should I just go through the process but not actually decide to join one?
If you are sure of your decision, I suspect it would be easy to back out of it now with an email saying that it turns out with your planned courseload for next semester that you won’t have the time you would need to devote to sorority recruitment.
You can go through recruitment and then withdraw before accepting a bid (should you be offered one). There are chapters which value high GPA’s and understand that demanding courseloads mean less time for sorority activities. Depends on the school, too. Meeting actives during recruitment and asking how they balance everything would give you an idea of whether it’s realistic for you.
I mean I think it would make more sense to withdraw now rather than later when you have invested the time into it, but that is just me. Since it seems like you are just withdrawing now without having met anyone, it would make sense to do it now rather than later when you are choosing whether or not to accept a bid.
If you withdraw now, there’s no hurt feelings because the process hasn’t started and you won’t have to pay the costs of recruitment which can get up there.
If you don’t withdraw but know you can’t jojn then it may be harder on you cause you may fall in love with it. Withdrawing now also may allow you to get a refund back.
You can let them know that you don’t want to continue, or you can just not show up. If you don’t show up, expect to get a few texts asking if you are still interested.
Just FYI, the president on my daughter’s sorority was also president of the Society of MechE, on the jet car team, and had a perfect 4.0. Went to grad school at an Ivy.
“Has anyone ever registered for recruitment but never gone through with it?”
It happens every year at every school. If you think it isn’t a good fit with your academic responsibilities, you don’t have to show up for recruitment.
If you’ve truly decided you can’t do it why waste your time going to the events? If you think you can’t do it but aren’t sure, go to the events and get a sense as to how big a time commitment each of the houses really asks of its members and if you can’t find a house that fits with you then don’t submit a rank list.