About 8-9 years ago my mom was working at a school where she discovered that one of her coworkers was (is) an ADPi. Mom introduced us. She was 16 when she joined. She had graduated high school at 14, but the colleges she wanted to attend wouldn't accept her until she was 16. I don't believe she remained active very long because she ended up having a child (which with school, motherhood and a sorority can be a bit much).

I think the world we live in today is so much different than the per-cell phone, roofie era. I hope any young men are well aware of her age at the time of socials... That in itself could be a hot mess! I also believe most universities consider 18 to be legal adult (parents can't control the system). I'd still hate to be a young man who picks her up at a social....

The problem is 16 is not the same thing for all girls in all parts of the countries. I had sorority sisters who were a level of naive that was almost scary. A very sharp, mature girl who has the motivation to even be eligible to face this question, would be at LEAST as mature as those girls. Yes, as a mother (theoretically of course) I would want the chapter to be aware that my special snowflake is 16. No, they can't control every move she makes, but they would at least be on the lookout for her. And for commuter schools, small Greek systems, low-level party schools, why not? 16 year old girl at a Big 10/Pac10/SEC sorority? Probably not. 16 year old girl at MIT or Southern Polytechnic? Sure, why not?

I think one thing you are missing, though, is that some women who are young when they get to college skipped ahead when they were very little. I was ALWAYS in a peer group that was a year or two older than me, by chronological age. It's not like I got to college and that was the first time I was being hit on by older guys or the first time I had access to alcohol or heck, even the first time I'd been in the bars in Champaign (where the age to get in was 19, but you could practically draw a picture of yourself on an index card and use it as an ID).

So I don't really know what's more common: skipped when they were little, or graduated high school early for other reasons, but I don't necessarily think the two groups are identical.

THIS!

I skipped ahead in 1st grade, always 1 or 2 years younger than my peers as well. I feel like kids who skip ahead at an early age have more of a chance to reach the same emotional maturity as their peers by graduation.

I think it depends on the campus, the chapter, and the PNM/new member.

In 2011, we gave a bid to a new member who was 16. She graduated high school a year and a half early and even entered technically as a sophomore because of her AP credits and some early college classes she took. Parents had to sign certain forms for sure, but she was a very mature young lady. She's been a great member and we have not seen problems. I think she was really looking for a core of lifelong network of friends and some kind of stability in that regard. Her father was in the military and they moved around quite a bit and she never really had a consistent group of friends. she told me once Theta is her family where someone is always "home" to talk to or hang out with.

I did have members contact me out of concern with her age. It could have been an issue should she have not been as mature, but from an alcohol standpoint, the law and rules for her are really no different than they are for members who are 18-20. The law says no drinking or purchasing of alcohol if under the age of 21. Thus, this applies to a 16 year old just as it does older members. Same thing as a fake ID. It's against the law for anyone to have or produce false identification, so the rule/law would apply to her the same as it would anyone else. From a sex standpoint, 16 is the age of consent in the state of Kentucky so if that was something she chose to do, that would have been her own business I guess.

I do think caution and careful thought should way in on a decision with someone who is younger. Not all 16 year olds are mature enough to handle college life. My 16 year old son sure as hell is not and would not be something his father or I would allow him to do. Then again, I'm sure all of us could give countless examples of 18-21 year olds we know that are/were not mature enough to handle college/Greek Life...:)

Agree.

It depends on the maturity of the 16-year-old. Some 16 year olds are all but adults, while others are still vastly immature. The recruitment process should sort out the immature ones.

My sorority would offer a bid to a 16-year-old provided she meets our requirements (full-time student at a 4-year university, meets minimum GPA, and other requirements I won't go into). Financial paperwork must be countersigned by a parent or guardian.