I agree - AI should be done in limited circumstances, otherwise, in what way will a sorority be distinguished from say, the Junior League? I think AI is proper when either: (a) the woman never had the opportunity to join because of the school she was at, finances, or some other circumstances (NOT including women that only wanted to be in ONE sorority and so didn't maximize their options during recruitment), and/or (b) there is a collegiate chapter that really needs an advisor, this woman is an ideal advisor and willing to commit.

As someone who has gone through law school, I can't imagine being in my last year and wanting to take on an additional non-law related committment. Is AI your dream or is your dream something that you missed out on? Your dream of being a collegiate sorority member is something that has come and passed, so is AI really something that could fulfill your dreams? Does it fit into your future after law school?

PLUS op stated that she wanted to perhaps go abroad for study after law school. I don't see how, unless I'm missing something, her desire to join Pi Phi is going to translate into AI. I think that AI is something which should come from the alumnae group - not the pnm.

I would venture to say - based on previous discussions - a lot of people on GC disagree with the AI subforum to begin with.

How many "HI I WENT THROUGH RECRUITMENT, BUT ENDED UP NOT JOINING A SORORITY, AND NOW I'M 40, ALL MY KIDS ARE GROWN UP AND I'M READY TO TRY AGAIN, AND OMG! I'M SO EXCITED I FOUND GC BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW ABOUT AI BEFORE THIS I'M SO EXCITED NOW I CAN FULFILL MY COLLEGE DREAM OF BEING IN A SORORITY!!!!!!!" people have we had?

I'd say alot.

It's one thing if you (general, not directed at anyone specific) already have some kind of connection (whether you pledged, but could never initiate, or you happen to be friends with someone in XYZ), and the person thinks high enough of you to recommend you for AI, and it's quite another to be stalking the HQ and the Alum Assoc. trying to get an "in" just because you had a dream of joining a sorority that never came to be in your college years.

You didn't "miss out on" this sorority, they declined to offer you membership. Why would you want to join an organization that already rejected you? I've also never understood how women on this board who want to AI can feel any ties to a sorority from a failed recruitment or just from reading the Web site...really, you probably don't know anything about the sorority, so how can you admire it?

I believe AI should be something you're invited to do, not just a form of recruitment for older women.

Period. End of thread. :p

I have no idea about the OP and her follow up seems a little trollish. But to those of you who said that you'd be really suspicious of a women who went someplace with a big Greek system and didn't join who was interested in AI, are you sure?

I can think of people that I know who went to UGA and weren't Greek who would be great AIs, assuming of course that a group approached them.

Heck, whenever we have "SEC Greek Life is insane conversations," don't a lot of you feel like if you had gone to one of the SEC schools, you never would have rushed?

It's be hard to hold it against someone for misjudging something that is often confusing from the outside looking in. And if a women whom you personally knew would be a benefit to a service organization of some other kind was interested in serving your GLO as an alumna, would you really hold it against her that she didn't get Greek Life in college?

People who rushed 27 times and didn't get matched, of course, are a different story. I'd be suspicious of their motives too.

I hate to be snarky - oh, wait, no I don't....;):p

But she DID rush, and was dropped by ALL HOUSES, including the one she's wanting to pursue (according to her post) on day FOUR of SEVEN. It's not like she even made it to prefs. I guess it's possible she fell victim to the new RFM's...but it's kind of doubtful. If she's almost done with law school, then she's at least my age, and I don't think a huge amount of schools were using the new system when I rushed. The other possible option is that maybe she didn't have the grades, but, once again, since she's in law school, it's doubtful.

I don't think what is going on here... if there was a person who did not go Greek... whether they were at a SEC school, or a random college with a student population of 4000 students, and it's someone you knew personally that you thought would be beneficial to your org, you don't have to hold it against them.... if you really think they are that awesome and you want them involved, nominate them or something if your org does it that way.

No one is holding anything against people who never went greek.. the discussion here is people who rushed, got dropped by all houses, and are trying to find a back door in because of their "college dream" that was never fulfilled.

I went to Preference Night at the specific sorority the OP wants to AI into (as well as Tri Delta). Even though I'm not a member of the other group, obviously, I have in the past supported this other sorority in small ways, primarily by sending small donations to their foundation, etc. because I admire their philanthropy efforts dealing with literacy, and because I remember how wonderful the women were went I went through rush.

I once knew this really nice guy who was in a fraternity and every so often he'd send money to the foundation (or whatever) of the sorority that had been next to his fraternity in college, because he really liked the women there and still thought so highly of them.

My point is, there are other ways to support a collegiate sorority and show your support of them and the work they do without necessarily becoming a member.

I agree - that doesn't feel right to me. I can't imagine having approached a sorority that had dropped me during undergrad recruitment (and I DID get dropped by one house I really liked at the time, which was disappointing). When I started my AI inquiries (with Tri Delta only) I at least knew that since I had preferenced there, I had been on their bid list somewhere. If they had dropped me halfway through the week, there is NO WAY I would've ever contacted them again. Even after some time had passed and no one remembered who I was. I would just assume the local chapter of that sorority had already spoken for the national sorority. You can't really "appeal" the decision, like in the courts! :)

Agree with you 100%.

1) Right off the bat you are stating that the group approached the person. COMPLETELY different situation. I was referring to the woman approaching the group. And I said I would question them, hence I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to start.

2) I did question someone who wanted to AI with my alumnae chapter (she went to WA St Univ.) and I never heard from her again once I started asking questions so obviously, she didn't like my questions. Since her first email was very excited to find this opportunity.

3) The OP said she was dropped, in my mind that should be enough for all of us. I for one, trust my sisters.

It never occurred to me - until I joined Greek Chat - that women would ever pursue AI. I've helped two women to AI, and in both cases the alumnae chapter approached them. I firmly believe it should be an honour - an invitation extended from the alumnae chapter to a woman they already know meets our high ideals.
Any Pi Phis wish to weigh in on this?

It seems like we rarely AI women. They tend to be people like Barbara Bush and prominent local leaders and descendants of founders.

From what I know, we also rarely AI women. Aside from the daughter of the International President that was initiated at Convention, I have met just a few women that are AIs...they are all extremely active and supported alumnae, and they all experienced circumstances that prevented them from joining in the collegiate years that are truly extenuating...i.e. one was a pledge but did not initiate because she served as a WAVE during WWII, another was a pledge, but did not initiate because she got married when her fiance was drafted to serve in Korea, etc. None of them pursued AI, they were invited by other very involved alums who had a close personal relationship with these women and knew that they would be much more active than the average alum.