AOII will be colonizing this fall which will give you another chance after formal recruitment is over to find a place in a sorority. Being a sophomore will not be an issue with a colony. Try to do something over the summer to add to your resume. Think of something that interests you and volunteer. It will get you ready for the philanthropic side of sorority membership. Having one thing on your résumé is better than nothing. ;) good luck.

BUT don't consider AOII more than a second chance. It is NOT an automatic in. I bet the turn out for AOII's colony will be huge, like in the hundreds. However, if you kind of blow it during rush, realize what you did and can make some quick adjustments, then AOII could work for you.

Best of luck. Now get to work and let us know how it's going!

Okay, so I've tried to look beyond who I directly know like guys have said.
I've just asked my aunt, who is a social butterfly and a college graduate (not a florida or southern school), so I'm hoping she knows some people.
I've started to look up alumna chapters in my hometown.
And I'm planning on asking my mom if she could ask some of her co-workers and facebook friends for me.
Now, if my aunt and mom end up knowing someone or someone who knows someone, how do you guys recommend I ask for a recommendation? I know I should not beg them for one and just assume that they will, but since any alumna found won't be women who knows me well or who I know well, how should I go about doing things? Is it strange to ask women you just met or are alumna usually willing to help you out??
Also, how do you guys suggest I approach the local alumna chapters. Of course I'll end up shooting them an email, but like I said, I don't want to come off the wrong way since I have no affiliation to these women.

There are quite a few topics on GreekChat on how to obtain recommendations. I suggest you do a search and read up on the subject.

When you find a sorority alumna, call them or email them. Just be polite and professional. State that you're going through sorority recruitment at a school that places an emphasis on sorority recommendations and you're seeking alumnae who may be willing to assist you by writing you a recommendation and/or connecting you with alumnae who can.

Read the thread linked in my signature. There's a rec section.

Especially in the south, these women will very possibly have written many many recs in the past. It's foreign to you but not to them. Do the reading here about what to do, be nice, send thank yous and follow up later to let them know how it went.

Excellent! I like your spirit and willingness to do what it takes!

My girls are FSU grads and I know for a fact that sophomores do get bids. However, just as others have said, it is work to get recs and to present yourself favorably to get a bid. Practice your conversational skills. It can be done! PM me if you like.

I don't think anyone has already mentioned this--FSU uses separate quotas for freshmen and upperclassmen with RFM. So every chapter takes a minimum number of upperclassmen. With that being the case, you actually have an advantage over any juniors who are going through, and possibly over any sophomores who had an unsuccessful recruitment the first time around, if a lot of chapters feel that they have already made up their mind about them.

No. That's not how uppperclassmen quotas work.

Every chapter can take a number of upperclassmen above the "regular" quota, IF THEY WISH. No sorority is *forced* to take upperclassmen.

I think you should definitely go through recruitment. I did and I was not successful, but then AOII re-colonized at my school and I signed up for their recruitment. Colony recruitment, in my opinion, is more competitive than Panhellenic formal recruitment, because there can be hundreds of women trying for just one house. However, do not let that intimidate you! The best thing is to be yourself, show up looking nice, and practice your conversation skills! This goes for formal rush and colony.

Honestly, the way you present yourself is extremely important. I learned a lot from my past experience and am now I proud colony member of AOII :)

Thanks for all of your replies.

I've decided that I'm definitely going to go through with recruitment because I feel that if I don't, I'll just regret it.
I've actually asked some questions to a girl who is in a sorority here and who rushed her sophomore year, so her answers have really helped a lot and put me at ease.
My main goals right now are just to maintain a good GPA and to get in contact with two of the alumnae chapters that I've found in my area.

Once I get in contact with those ladies, I'll let you guys know how it went!

Sorry- I meant to convey that it was the norm there, not that it was a requirement.