I could be misinterpreting this post, but are you asking which sororities and fraternities she recommends at SDSU? As in, which does she think are best?

Of course I don't speak for Kelly, but if you ask any GCer on which organization they think is best, they won't tell you. What they will tell you is to go through recruitment with an open mind, give all houses a chance, and maximize your options. It's all about the sorority YOU feel most comfortable with.

People who go through recruitment with their hearts set on one or two sororities (based on what they've heard, etc.) often end up disappointed.

If you really want to be in a sorority, your best bet is, like your friend said, to go to a less competitive greek system at a smaller school. I know of many foreign exchange students from all classes joining where I went to school, but again, I went to a very small, private liberal arts university. It's a whole different ball game at bigger schools! Good luck. :)

If I really wanted to know which sororities were the best at SDSU I would have directly posted a thread asking this question, it's just that Kelly nicely wrote in her post "I advise two sororities and three fraternities at SDSU " so I was just being curious as to what her recommendations were there and hypothetically if she thinks that ABC and XYZ are the best at SDSU she can say it, afterall aren't you all proud to be/have been in a sorority ?

And I think you can't go more open-minded than what I've said before concerning rush " If I don't get invited to join a sorority I'll just see it as an experience" since we don't have the Greek system here in Europe

Hi Carlotta,

I just returned from a dinner with my sorority sisters. This evening I dined with several women, including collegiate members from SDSU, alumnae members and two advisers.

When I asked them what they thought of an exchange student participating in recruitment as a senior, they had no problems with that idea. The alumna member who is the chapter Recruitment Adviser, who was sat right next to me, explained to me that seniors are "free" at SDSU.

Here's what that means: Normally, each sorority is only allowed to invite up to a set maximum number of new members during each recruitment. That maximum number is called "quota". There may be 75 women that the sorority loves; but, if quota is 50, then they can only invite up to 50 to be new members. At SDSU, seniors do not count in this calculation - a sorority can invite as many seniors as they want without penalty. That doesn't mean they *will*, but they can if they want to. So, even though SDSU is competitive, being a senior will not necessarily hinder you.

Further, I cannot speak for any of the other sororities, but all of the women at the table agreed that Gamma Phi Beta (my sorority) is very open to international students and would welcome an opportunity to meet a woman like you during recruitment.

The only things that they would be concerned about is that you do indeed stay for the whole year and that you understand that you would be required to pay membership dues just like everyone else.

I'm not sure if the other sororities would share a similar opinion; but, that was the response I received directly from my sisters this evening.

.....Kelly :)

Hi again,

I'm not really sure what you meant with the question in your previous post. As OTW alluded, most of us here would not make any recommendations to any particular organization or which ones are "best". She is correct, one should go into recruitment with an open heart to find the organization which is a best fit for oneself.

Because I work for the university, I was asked to serve as the university sponsor, called "Faculty Adviser", to five of the groups on campus. That's all I meant by that. Since I volunteered to adopt so many of the fraternities and sororities, I obviously love them all. :)

.....Kelly :)

According to my colleague at CSULB:

"We actually had 2 exchange students go through recruitment here last year. Neither of them pledged because they decided it just wasn't for them, but they were well received by the chapters here. Seniors do not count in quota and I think our chapters would be very open to having an exchange student join."


.....Kelly :)

Hey all. I was actually thinking about this the other day.

I will be a senior next year and I'm hoping to do a semester at a university in the US (UNC, Chico university in California or LSU). I will only be there for fall semester, will I have any chance of being accepted into a sorority? I know it's a slim chance :(

Oh sorry, I'm from the UK. Haha didn't mention that.

That's what I thought. Thanks for actually clarifying it for me. I was kinda holding on to the idea of joining one but now I'll just forget it :) Thanks so much for the response!

It took almost one whole semester after I was initiated for me to finally get my Badge!

I'm in a sorority at CSUN. Our past recruitment was huge. We are not as competitive as SDSU, however there are definitely more and more girls going through recruitment at CSUN. If you decide to come to CSUN, I highly recommend Greek Life. We are such a tight knit community. It's amazing. I love it. We had a few juniors in my pc and i know many of the other sororities had about the same. I'm not sure about senior's though.

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I'd say you have nothing to lose by trying - it will be an experience, for sure. I am speaking of informal only, though - I don't see it working with formal. With the new shorter pledge period, she might be able to be initiated during her semester here, and she has an opportunity to be a part of a WORLDWIDE and LIFETIME sisterhood - isn't that what we pitch? Just be prepared to possibly not get a bid - approach it as a chance to meet some amazing women, whether or not you get a bid.

one of the other NPCs on our campus took in a 26 yo Russian exchange student. She went through formal, and a lot of chapters were really actually interested in her, including mine. No idea how much she was planning on staying

I'm a student from New Zealand and will be going to CSULB this fall 2008. I'm looking at where i should stay and would appriciate any advice.

I believe that staying in a sorority would be a unique American experience and i know I have a lot to offer.
My concern is I've been told i can't find out if i can stay at one until after the start of the semester. Is there any way of being pre selected? or does anyone recommend staying somewhere in particular instead near long beach