Firstly, I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who has replied and offered advice - you've all been really helpful.

I tried to get in contact with the Greek Life Office but can't find any contact details for them. However, I have emailed the VP of Membership and the Head Recruitment Counsellor who were listed on the FAQs recruitment page as the people to get in contact with any specific questions. They both gave me very positive responses and didn't seem to think I'd be disadvantaged by only being there a year as long as I showed the women I wanted to get involved both in a chapter and on campus!

To those who suggested, Service Fraternities - I've done a bit of research on them and Alpha Phi Omega seems a possibility if recruitment doesn't work out but then again, if their "recruitment" period falls later, I don't want them to think "Oh, well she's only here for a year..."

I'd would be happy to meet with you for lunch/a coffee and talk more about sorority life - it would be lovely to meet a person who's been through the whole process - knows the pros/cons of joining a sorority etc. It's all quite new from me.

I only live about an hour or so by train from Gloucestershire, so wouldn't have too much of a problem meeting you. I'm available most days until early August, when I travel to the US. Would you like me to send you a private message to discuss this further?

I'm sure I will have a blast in California - as every day goes by, I get more excited!

Finally does anyone know how letter grades (A, A-, B+, B etc) convert to GPA? I've been given a sheet by my home University saying how they'd translate letter grades into our percentages:

A Berkeley A = 70 or over being a UK First
A- to B+ = 60+ - a UK 2.1
B to B- = 50-60 - a 2.2
C+ to C- = 40-50 - a Third
and D+ to D- =35-40 - an ordinary pass
F = a fail all round.

Using a website for letter - GPA conversion and my University's sheet - I've come out with a GPA of 3.45. Obviously, I want to try to make this as accurate as possible before filling out my application. In the emails I had, the people at Cal said there would be space to explain my grades in the activities box but that it was best to try and work out my GPA rather than putting I got a UK mid 2.1 (which if looked at as a GPA of 2.1 doesn't look good!)

Best line EVER.

3.45 sounds about right based on that conversion chart. You can explain in that box that your GPA is converted from the UK (and you might want to say United Kingdom just to be perfectly clear) system if you like.

Sunshine:

I did it all backwards, I went US to UK, and had to convert my American GPA to a UK equivalent (and then reconvert my UK grades once I got my parchment from Glasgow to something understandable for American employers...try explaining the Scottish MA to an American employer, and why my degree is MLitt not MA), and additionally I had no A levels or anything to add to my transcript, only American high school diplomas and AP grades.

Ask your home uni to give you an explanation of grades. You can likely get this from your registrar's office. It should just be a standard form explaining how your university marks and what those marks mean to the outside world.

Doing the conversion on your own (and 3.45 sounds about right) is helpful, but it couldn't hurt to launch your explanation of grades in there as well.

APO rush at Cal will be September 7-17. There should be a table on Sproul every weekday during that period. Check there for details about rush events. Right now there are some event dates on the chapter's calendar, but I don't know if anything is finalized yet.

When I was active there 5-7 years ago, we had many seniors that pledged--my co-sib (the other pledge in my small family) was a graduating senior, and there were 5 or 6 other graduating seniors in my pledge class as well. Please don't be concerned about only being at Cal for a year! :)

Have a great time!!! Berkeley is an amazing place.

Sounds good. Shoot me a PM. We have no holiday plans in the foreseeable future and I should be available most days. Picking you up from the Cheltenham Station would be easiest. We might consider a weekend day so my hubby can stay at home with our toddler...but we are flexible.

To the OP: best of luck to you this fall, both in your US studies and in your recruitment.

On the subject of exchange students: I have posted this on here before, but I think it would be beneficial for college panhellenics to make a provision about exchange students in that they can be a "free" addition to quota. Some schools have employeed the "one free junior" addition to pledge classes, or the upperclassman quota, with success.

It just seems that this can be a win-win for the chapters and the exchange students. The students wouldn't necessarily be cut heavily for only being around for one year, and the chapter won't have to face using a quota spot for someone who can't be groomed for leadership, live-in, or pay dues for 4 years. In addition, the exchange student would get to experience an aspect of college that so many of us hold dear and the sorority members would get to know someone from a different background. A growth experience for both!

Obviously no chapter would be forced to keep any exchange student during the recruitment process, just as they are not required to utilize the upperclassman quota/free junior if that is their choosing. However, those chapters that do feel a connection with one of the exchange students can place them on the bid list without taking away a spot from a freshman.

While there aren't scores of exchange students going through recruitment each year it does seem that we get quite a few here on GreekChat each summer so clearly there are some out there. The provision could be around for the times that it is needed, as waiting until there is an interested exchange student on campus would make it too late for that student.

Oh, that is good, Blondie! I wonder if it could be proposed to NPC?

The exchange students I've met who are in NPC groups have been huge assets to their chapters.

This is AWESOME and with your permission, I'd like to share it with the University of Arizona Greek Life Office and Panhellenic.

Granted, we might not attract the numbers of exchange students that UC Berkeley does, but what a wonderful proposal/suggestion/recommendation. A unique opportunity and win-win situation for both parties, IMO.

To the OP: I have wonderful memories of Berkeley and hope that you will make the most of your time there. There's a beautiful city across the bay that's worth visiting, too.

No permission needed, especially by you! :)

I put it out there in the hopes that it would be seen and considered. Glad that you are supportive of it.