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- - University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment 2013 (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=132074)

It is the sheer willful insanity which is peculiar to Yoknaptawpha County.

"To understand the world," William Faulkner once said, [first] "you have to understand a place like Mississippi." – Willie Morris, NY Times Book Review, 1996

Quote:

Originally Posted by HQWest (Post 2226296)

By now - Ole Miss has been doing it this way for so long, if they changed to before the semester starts, they would have be at the same time as one of the other big SEC schools. I don't think they would like that either. I would not not even try to ask for that. :o

I know that Ole Miss held rush prior to fall semester as late as the mid 1980's, when I was there. I am not sure when it changed to mid-semester, but it has not been that long, at least not that long in "Mississippi time" where things move just a little bit slower :) Mary Poppins... do you know what year rush was moved back?

About 1997 to 2000, somewhere in there.

The last year recruitment (rush) was held before classes started was my freshman year, Fall 1996. My sophomore year fall 1997 they moved it. So it's been a while since the administration moved it.

Borrowed from another thread because this is such an awesome explanation of why everyday the Chapter that invite the PNM back are in effect the only ones on campus that need to be of concern to that particular PNM. And apologies to KSUViolet06 for making her magenta a purple for purposes of contrast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 2227075)

I see a lot of PNMs focusing on "tangible" items like recs, grades, outfits, and community service.

Those are important, but let me be the first to tell you that these are STANDARD items. That's the "foot in the door" stuff that EVERY PNM at a reasonably competitive school WILL have. You've got 3 recs per chapter, a 3.95, and were involved in 2 sports. Guess what? At Bama, Ole Miss, etc. that's EVERY girl in your group.

I find that GC tends to ignore something that matters A LOT in competitive recruitment: PERSONAL CONNECTIONS/RELATIONSHIPS. Everybody has the standard stuff, but it really IS "who you know" that is a HUGE factor.

Chapter members tend to know who from HS, camp, cheer, etc. is going through and if these are women they know and like, they'll be the first to say "OMG. I went to HS with Becky! She'd be great."

Those are the women who stand out and when there are limited spots to go around, come to member's minds first.

A lot of PNMs come into recruitment knowing no one, from another state, etc. They tend to be at a disadvantage not because they're undesirable, it's just that invites are limited and there is little room for chapters to invite PNMs back whom they JUST met on day 1 of recruitment.

Let's look at personal connections from a numbers standpoint:

For example, let's say that ABC at Southern University has 100 members (not using big numbers because I'm tired.) Each of them personally knows 2 PNMs from church/camp/high school/etc whom they think would make great ABCs.

100 x 2 = 200 women whom members can already vouch for before they even set foot in the chapter doors on day 1.

Fast forward to after day 1. ABC has 300 invites for day 2.

Out of that 300, there are these 200 girls with personal connections whom members already know of and want.

Assuming that all 200 of those are issued an invite, that leaves just 100 spots for the "unknown wildcard" PNMs whom no one has heard of prior to recruitment.

My point is that personal connections are very important.

This is not to say that if you run off to all greek staffed summer camp this summer, you're a shoo-in.

But those PNMs who have attended camp, lived in the same neighborhood, gone to HS, and played softball since __ grade with sorority members (and have developed relationships with them) do have an advantage.

Can you get a bid if you know no one? Sure. Every chapter is different and there are some who have more room for the "wildcards" based on a lot of factors than others. But in dealing with those chapters who are releasing high numbers of women early on in the process, those with the connections are generally in a better position.

Note: This is EXTRA true for upperclassmen.

Extra note: emphasis on "know and like." Not "I know Katie Kappa from Science in 11th grade." Two different things!

Just throwing this out there so that PNMs can be thinking of it (and for those not rushing this fall, they can be cultivating some sort of personal connection with members.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation (Post 2227080)

And this is why you shouldn't go ballistic if you don't get back a full schedule every day, even if you're Miss Everything with a 6.0 GPA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 2227085)

^^^^YES.

So often, we hear "I don't know how I only got 3 chapters back out of a possible 8. I wore Lilly every day, fed the homeless every week in HS, had 4 recs to every chapter, and have a 5.0 in all AP classes."

When it came down to it, it's not that you weren't great on paper, or weren't cute enough, or that you have a horrible personality. It's because they met you first the first time EVER for 30 minutes during first party. You don't know anyone, and there was not enough time for anyone to even try to get to know you. When a chapter is pressed for time and has a finite number of invites, they are naturally going to be predisposed toward the women you've already met in other contexts.

Think of it this way: Blind date vs. guy you already know from class, know what he's involved in, his personality etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins (Post 2227097)

I'm borrowing these ^^^^ with you permission of course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvMyPNM (Post 2227098)

At schools where recruitment week is after school begins, don't you think that those girls from OOS could meet some members and make connections so they aren't meeting up with members on day 1? Or do they hide out in their houses and not try to engage the rest of the student body? Just trying to understand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 2227103)

If you're talking January recruitment, you should already know sorority members as you've had plenty of time.

Now if we're talking SEPTEMBER, anything you're really going to do to attempt to get to know someone is kind of "too little too late." You can try, but "Hi I'm Suzie" in class two weeks before recruitment is different from having known the member you're speaking to from last semester.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 2227106)

Also, this is where keeping an open mind comes into play.

Yes, I know everyone wants to be Phi Beta Popular & Epsilon Everyone Loves. But let's keep it real, these chapters are pressed for time and invites with little room for "wild cards."

If you're out of state or shy or you just don't know anyone in those groups, you might find yourself not invited back to these groups. It's not the end of the world. There are OTHER chapters on campus.

So often, Girl Who Knows Not A Soul in Most Popular gets bent out of shape about not getting invited back there. Meanwhile, she overlooks the other chapters on her list who are equally awesome who DO have room for/interest in her. Then the sorority ship sails while she's pouting over the chapter she wasn't anywhere in the universe of people who had a shot at an invite. Silly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby (Post 2227108)

But one more time: even at the most competitive recruitments, the VAST, VAST majority of women receive invitations every round. To add to KSUViolet's example above, if ABC is a strong recruiting chapter and gets to invite 300 women, there's also a weaker recruiting chapter, XYZ, out there that gets to invite 600. In the end, they'll both end up with 25 NM's, but ABC is doing more of its sorting early, while XYZ is waiting more to see which women are interested in them.

So, it's great to cultivate personal relationships where/when you can, but if you don't have them, you don't have them, and you should rush anyway, just knowing that your schedule might not be as full.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 2227110)

^^^That's why I added the post above yours. Being clear that SOMEONE has room for you, it's probs just not Most Popular. Deal with it.

When I was advising at Mississippi State, I was so shocked at how everyone in Mississippi seemed to know each other. I mean, ABC sisters from Tupelo would know all the PNMs from the coast and so on. Jackson girls would know the small-town girls from camp, cheering, Girls' State. Out of staters definitely started out behind the eight ball.

And even though the sororities knew they couldn't pledge, say, all the Jackson girls they wanted, it would have definitely been a faux pas not to give the ones they knew a couple of courtesy invites. Back then, the big cuts came at the end and I swear that's worse.

I am ahead on my credits for college so if in some of my sophomore classes as an oos girl I know I want to make connections/a good impression with current members before rush, but does that violate panhellenic's rules?

We heard that at Ole Miss you couldn't have new contact with sorority members after May 1st. We were told that you could still maintain existing friendship, but if you didn't already know them, there was a no contact rule. Can somebody more familiar with Ole Miss confirm or deny this?

Sounds like your concerns could be best answered with a call to the Greek Life office at (662) 915-7609.

I might be a little late on this part of the thread, but on the whole drinking/not drinking thing for the first few weeks of school until recruitment starts, I say don't. I know drinking is widely accepted across campus, and honestly probably wouldn't affect anything before rush, but all it takes is rubbing one person the wrong way to lose your dream house. The chances are unlikely that anything would happen, but I just wouldn't take that chance. And honestly, it's only 5 weekends that you would have to lay low. Before I went through rush, I would still go out and socialize, but I would drive for my friends in my dorm that were drinking. Being a DD for 5 weeks won't kill you socially, and it makes for an excellent excuse for if you are offered alcohol while out. (That being said, I've never heard of a sorority girl forcing alcohol upon an underaged teenager ESPECIALLY before rush. And if you have problems saying no to that if it does happen, there are some bigger problems here. But I digress.)

Good luck and have fun, but if you or your daughter are worried about your/her chances during recruitment, don't take any chances. It's better safe than sorry, especially with something that's so important.

Ole Miss Chapter Work Weeks are coming up soon, school starts August 26, Ice Water Parties on September 8th, and First Formal Round October is October 1, 2013. Still time to get Recommendations/Letters Of Reference/Etc. to the Chapters for PNMs.

Interacting with Members

Quote:

Originally Posted by srattyrebel (Post 2227221)

Srattyrebel, and Hearttoheart, no, talking in classes with sophomores does not violate Panhellenic's rules. In fact, as an OOS student, classes are a great way to meet sorority women. It does NOT mean that you literally cannot interact with sorority women.

The "no contact" rule means no direct communication through Facebook, phone calls, texts, emails, etc. No "invitations" or pre-arranged meetings. If you run into sorority women randomly, you can talk with them, hang out with them in public areas like the classroom or the union, etc. But those meetings can't be planned in advance, and you cannot become Facebook friends or text. And you wouldn't be able to go somewhere semi-private or private--say, see them at the Union, then agree to meet them off-campus for dinner. When I was at Ole Miss, this was extended even to people who already had existing relationships. Just because you knew Amanda ABC since you were little kids, you were still not allowed to go hang out at her apartment. She was not supposed to have "direct contact" with you, invite you over, send you texts, etc. She could only have spontaneous contact in public places (obviously this rule was loosened for relatives).

Basically, you can only meet randomly and in public, unless it is an organized Greek event like the pre-recruitment CARE Walk or Water Parties.

ACCEPTABLE: Running into an ABC that you kind of know while waiting in line for Starbucks. Sitting down and chatting with her for a few minutes at the student union, then going separate ways. She introduces you to her friend, who is also an ABC. OK because: unplanned, spontaneous meeting in a public place.
Not OK: XYZ member texts you, "lots of XYZ's love to get Starbucks at the Union around 2 pm on Wednesdays! Hope to see you there!" When you arrive, a swarm of XYZs pull you over to talk. Not okay because: direct contact with member, meeting is prearranged.
ACCEPTABLE: You are assigned to work with a DEF member in your bio lab. Your teacher made the assignment and you can't change it. You have to call and text her to discuss your lab project. OK Because: 100% school-related, teacher assigned.
Not OK: QQQ member in your Lit class asks if you want to join her "study group" that meets at her apartment on Wednesday night. When you get there, only QQQ members are there. They hang out and talk with you, not working on school-related stuff. Not okay because: pre-arranged meeting not related to school.

The onus is on the sorority members to follow these rules, not the PNM. They'll be the ones who "get in trouble," unless you're somehow proven to be the criminal mastermind of wheeling-and-dealing with sorority girls. This was the way the rules were interpreted when I was there (mid-2000s).

Is it true that some of the sorority chapters at Ole Miss already have their tentative bid lists made up? I recently read this somewhere, and I am very curious if anyone has any insight on the chapters already having a good idea of who they plan to invite back on second round, third round, and bid day events.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnm13 (Post 2228532)

This type of membership selection is not your business, but suffice it to say that it doesn't really matter; you should behave exactly the same at every chapter whether or not this is true.

Absolutely not true. DeltaBetaBaby is correct. and quit reading whatever you are reading that made this stupid claim.