Sheisaprincess, fwiw, when my sorority recolonized several years ago, they had already decided on a fixed number of women that they were going to take. Many wonderful women didn't make that first cut.

Three of them went through Recruitment the next year, and got bids - one went on to be on Homecoming Court

Since I don't know you or the whole situation, I can't say, oh, try this or try that. What I can say is that being an independent IS better for some women, while others may want to give it another try. Only you know what's best for you - and that's what I wish for you, whatever's best for YOU! :)

Yeah I went through formal recruitment because some of my friends encouraged me to join their sorority and I still ended up bidless. This is my last semester here and I talked with the leadership consultants about why I wanted to be a founding member of the sorority as well as the alumni that were at the recruitment events but I just came up with the conclusion that I'm just not good enough for Greek life. I emphasized my leadership skills, my GPA for the past three years has been a B- average and I even had several recommendations. I was not shy, I made sure that I asked questions, I told them that I saved up enough $$$ for dues but like I said before, oh well. I wanted one bright moment in my life during college and now I found out that I'm graduating early which means there's no more chances for me to be Greek.

Maybe it was because you were very close to graduating. It sounds like even if you had not been graduating early you would be graduating in the fall.

That could have been a major reason. Why? Because, when a sorority takes seniors, they are usually taking seniors that would not be graduating right after they get initiated.

I have never been through a colonization. I would venture a guess that the colony DOES need upperclassmen to anchor the group and provide maturity and leadership. But, these upperclassmen would be chosen from those who would be there long enough to see the process to fruition. I would think those chosen would not need to be trying to colonize right when they are in their last semester.

Many members have to scale back their involvement their last semester. I have seen this many times, and these were in chapters that were already well established. I am sure new chapters take a lot of time and effort. So, it would only make sense that if you are close to graduating, they might pass.

Yeah the thing is that a third of the people that I saw during colony recruitment in the colonization process were seniors graduating in May. Plus when I went through formal recruitment I had some friends go through it as well and they received bids and they are graduating in May as well. My school is small (I don't feel right naming my school on here) and a member of a sorority at my school said here on GC that it was very common for seniors to get bids so I thought that I had a chance. Thanks for your input though.

edit: Also the National Officers said that they will finish all the colonizing stuff this semester.

I wouldn't worry too much, you seem like your head is on your shoulders. I had a friend who was a found sister of Theta at Santa Clara and they only took a small handful of seniors because you don't want to have a huge loss your first year. I guess what I'm try to get at is that is some ways it might be more competitive for seniors to get founding bids because they will only take a few.

Congrats on graduating early though!!!!

The fact that you are a graduating senior combined with your lower GPA would, I feel, be the reasons you were not invited. A B- is fine, but not quite high enough. And yes, colonizing groups do want some seniors, but the percentage would be low and the organizers generally want those with high grades and first-semester seniors. They might take a graduating senior if she 1) had spectacular grades, 2) spectacular activities or 3) was a legacy by way of an influential member.

your chances of not being Greek are not over! many (if not all) chapters have an alumna initiate program. it gives women a chance to join after college. that's what i did b/c greeks didn't colonize my campus until the semester AFTER i graduated. i ended up joining about a year and a half later.

wherever you end up after graduation, check to see what alum groups are in the area (check with the Greek Advisor at the nearest college) and start talking to them. it's not much fun to join as an alum and there be no alums to hang out with!

it's been a very rewarding experience for me!

alumnae initiation is NOT an alternative to rush. It's a very different process and journey. You can't just "rush" a sorority after college. It's a very different experience. Please visit the Alumni Initiation forum here on GC for more information.

gpb1874, i'm sure you had a good experience with AI, and i'm glad that you were successful and are having a rewarding experience. But you hit a nerve with a lot of GCers in making it seem like AI is an alternative to rushing. It's a very different experience with a very different process. I won't go into opinions further, they're expressed elsewhere in other threads about AI.

sheisaprincess,

While Greek Life isn't for everyone and that doesn't make anyone "better" than anyone else, know that Sorority Recruitment, like job intervewing, is a very subjective process. You gave formal recruitment and a colonization a try-- you met new people and learned a lot about the interviewing process. Good for you!

Doubtless, in your time at your university, you've learned a lot of new things, made tons of friends and shared some unforgetable experiences-- that is what college is all about! Don't feel bad about not joining a sorority-- you are on the cusp of something wonderful-- GRADUATION! You get to join the ranks of the soon-to-be-employed. As you head into the homestretch of your undergraduate experience, focus on school, professional networking and interning. You have bigger fish to fry as a graduating senior this May.

Having a college degree is important, but having professional connections and internship experience are doubly important! Your recruitment experiences have prepared you for what to expect in a group interview and a private interview-- launching you far ahead of many of your peers! You know how to dress, the questions to ask and how to behave. These are invaluble!

A great group to join upon graduation is the Junior League. This is a volunteer organization of women from all walks of life; most of whom are well educated career woman. The league does great charitable works, high-end fundraisers and social galas where you will meet tons of like-minded women (and cute men, too!). Check out the Association of Junior Leagues International to learn more about the chapter near you: http://www.ajli.org. Great opportunities await!

Thanks Dani

If you're looking for "one bright moment in your life during college," I suggest looking closely at what you've already done, for starters, and then create one unforgettable moment in your last months of college. I REALLY wanted to go Greek in college, but it just didn't work out that way for me. I still had a great college experience (with a few rough patches, of course), and one of my greatest memories of all time actually came in the week between finals and graduation.

(My desire to be in a sorority never faded for me, and I was fortunate enough to find Beta Sigma Phi. It's been a fabulous experience in itself.)

Erica

ummm....did you miss the part where she is graduating this semester and this was her last chance to join as a collegiate? i didn't, which is why i suggested she look into AI. there apparently was not a chance for her to find a match in college, so maybe she could find one after college.

Yes, my reading comprehension skills are well above average, thank you.

Please read the rest of my post and see what other people have had to say in the AI forum. Rush and AI are VERY different processes. You don't AI a bunch of different sororities like you rush, it's a much different process and a MUCH more difficult process.

I would also venture to say that you're a rarity in having done AI a year and a half after you graduated. Most people do it a little further down the road.

This isn't the proper thread to thoroughly discuss AI. I just wanted to point out that AI and rush are VERY different processes so that the OP is aware. Again, like I said, check out the other threads on GC about AI.

I think what kddani was reacting to, and what I felt also, is that you made AI sound common and easy to do. The reality is that many sororities don't do AI at all or limit it to a tiny number of initiates a year. Even sororities that do AI semi-regularly don't recruit and it's still very hard to become an AI.
Truthfully, for a lot of women in this lady's situation, this is the end of the road in terms of joining a GLO and it is not considered GC practice to just say "Oh well... try AI!" A lot of people do it because they think it is less mean than acknowledging what has happened. It really isn't. We need to acknowledge that not getting an invitation to membership is disappointing and we need to encourage ladies to look at the bigger picture. I think adpiufc's comment was great! She encouraged sheisaprincess to look at where a GLO is in the great scheme of things and that not being a member doesn't mean that you can't enjoy many of the same experiences and bond with other women thru other organizations.

that still doesn't mean it's not worth checking out. maybe i was a rarity and maybe she is too. you never know and she won't ever know if the opportunity to find out about it is not presented.