GPA Requirement to get into a Sorority

[honeychile]

Is there any possibility of taking a few classes this summer? Especially if you re-take one of the classes that you didn't do well in before?

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Is there any possibility of taking a few classes this summer? Especially if you re-take one of the classes that you didn't do well in before?

I'm assuming that because she said her summer classes won't count toward her GPA, she is not taking them at JMU. If she was taking them at JMU, any retakes and new classes WOULD be able to boost her GPA.

Zillini, I think that the OP's GPA is really the only thing working against her (but it sure is a big thing working against her). At JMU, a sophomore with a good GPA and involvement with one club would have a good chance of getting a bid, even at strong chapters, assuming she fits in otherwise.

To the OP, a 2.3 may not even be high enough to register for recruitment. Individual chapters will no doubt have higher requirements. Chapters can make rare exceptions to their chapter minimum, but they cannot bid a PNM with a GPA lower than their National minimum, and a 2.3 could very well be below the National minimum for many groups.

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Zillini, I think that the OP's GPA is really the only thing working against her (but it sure is a big thing working against her). At JMU, a sophomore with a good GPA and involvement with one club would have a good chance of getting a bid, even at strong chapters, assuming she fits in otherwise.

I wasn't talking about her chances of being successful in Recruitment or even whether she might make a good member. I was referring to her ability to remain an enrolled college student and not be kicked out of the University for failure to achieve their minimum GPA requirements. The OP is already on Academic Probation. It would be one thing if she said last semester was a struggle but she's she's doing a bang up job this spring. That's not what she said, rather she hopes she'll earn a 2.3. While no longer probation level that still sounds like struggling to me.

Is it wise to add the time demands of a sorority (chapter meetings, new member meetings, sisterhood activities, Panhellenic speakers/events, philanthropy events, social functions, etc.) on top of that? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for going Greek. I wouldn't be an advisor if I wasn't. But just because someone wants something doesn't mean it's the best thing for them. We can never forget that the primary purpose of going to college is to get a good education.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Zillini

I wasn't talking about her chances of being successful in Recruitment or even whether she might make a good member. I was referring to her ability to remain an enrolled college student and not be kicked out of the University for failure to achieve their minimum GPA requirements. The OP is already on Academic Probation. It would be one thing if she said last semester was a struggle but she's she's doing a bang up job this spring. That's not what she said, rather she hopes she'll earn a 2.3. While no longer probation level that still sounds like struggling to me.

Is it wise to add the time demands of a sorority (chapter meetings, new member meetings, sisterhood activities, Panhellenic speakers/events, philanthropy events, social functions, etc.) on top of that? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for going Greek. I wouldn't be an advisor if I wasn't. But just because someone wants something doesn't mean it's the best thing for them. We can never forget that the primary purpose of going to college is to get a good education.

I misinterpreted what you said, thinking that you meant that sophomore status and involvement in only one activity would be two "strikes" against a PNM at any school, so I wanted to clarify that those wouldn't be "strikes" at JMU like they would at an SEC school like Bama.

I absolutely agree with everything else you just said.

If the OP could miraculously get 4.0s the next three semesters, she might have a shot at getting a bid as a junior (though she'd have fewer chapters from which to choose). She'd almost certainly have a better chance than she would as a sophomore with a *hopefully* 2.3.

[elleyk5187]

i know a lot of sororities require a C+ GPA to be considered for membership & a lot of schools require one to have a 2.5 (like everyone else said) in order to register. some schools are higher, some are lower...it all depends.

having a low GPA definitely limits which house you're able to become a new member at.

i was in your same situation. my first semester of college was one of the hardest times of my life. it was my first time being away from home, i had a terrible roommate, a horrible situation with a boy (i know i shouldn't allow it to screw with me, but it did!), & to top it off, my grandma ended up passing away after a sudden stroke. i only managed a 2.0, which did not reflect my intelligence or my ability in the slightest bit (i was in the top 10% of my high school class). i ended up getting a 3.6 GPA my second semester & that only brought my GPA up to a little over a 2.6. so, to even begin to bring your GPA up (since you're on academic probation i assume your GPA is under a 2.0), you'll have to get way higher than a 2.3.

some schools are changing their system to allow anyone, regardless of GPA, to register for recruitment and to leave it up to the chapters. for example, at IU someone can write an excuse to why their grades aren't higher (i.e. death...or you had an extremely hard class that brought down your GPA) but that didn't even help me much.

granted, your education is the reason why you're in college...not for the greek life or activities. buckle down & raise your grades first, then think about recruitment. after all, future employers will look at your GPA & if you're competing with someone that had a higher GPA, they'll probably get chosen over you.

a way to start fresh is to transfer schools. i did, so i didn't have a GPA. i went through recruitment right away & couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.

good luck!

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by elleyk5187

so, to even begin to bring your GPA up (since you're on academic probation i assume your GPA is under a 2.0), you'll have to get way higher than a 2.3.

I think the OP meant that with the grades she thinks she can/will get this semester, her cumulative will go up to a 2.3.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by elleyk5187

a way to start fresh is to transfer schools. i did, so i didn't have a GPA. i went through recruitment right away & couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.

good luck!

If you are telling her to transfer schools so that you dont have a GPA just to go through recuitment.... uhhh... yea.

[smiley21]

Originally Posted by elleyk5187

a way to start fresh is to transfer schools. i did, so i didn't have a GPA. i went through recruitment right away & couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.

good luck!

Even if you transfer, don't you still have a college GPA that the sororities will see? (The answer would be yes.) I transferred schools and still had to put my college GPA on my recruitment application.

I am not sure about your situation with 'not having a GPA after transferring', but I think this is bad advice to give to other people. No sorority is just going to believe that you don't have a GPA if you transfer after the first semester of freshman year.

Originally Posted by smiley21

Even if you transfer, don't you still have a college GPA that the sororities will see? (The answer would be yes.) I transferred schools and still had to put my college GPA on my recruitment application.

I am not sure about your situation with 'not having a GPA after transferring', but I think this is bad advice to give to other people. No sorority is just going to believe that you don't have a GPA if you transfer after the first semester of freshman year.

Not only that, but it pains me to see anyone suggest transferring schools just to be Greek.

If a girl wants to transfer schools, let it be for valid academic reasons...not because she might have a better chance at recruitment.

I agree with smiley. That's some bad advice up there.