I went to college at 16. (And probably looked 13.) The only time it ever became an issue was when I wanted to see an R movie and couldn't but even that was rare.

People thought it was weird. I was a really clueless PNM, in spite of coming from a Greek family, because, well, things had changed since the '60's.

I'd be more worried about the state laws with regard to the inevitable sorts of sexting type incidents which go on these days. I'm not so sure you're going to find such agreement on what is permissible between the ages of 16 and 17. I'm not trying to be a perv, it's just that this stuff goes on and having a member that young would make me nervous.

In AZ, 18 is age of majority. New members under that age = must contact parents for consent for wide variety of issues. A percentage of pnms are under 18 every year. We know how to handle it.

Laws are laws, regardless of GLO membership status. :rolleyes:

17, yes. 16... we've had one. DISASTER. She was fine the first year or so. When she "grew up" she became exactly what someone already said... a risk management cluster-you-know-what. I hope never again.

There was a 16 year old in my PC. She was initiated at 17.

Once upon a time when those pesky dinosaurs were still wandering around my campus we did pledge a girl who was only 16. Was interesting since 18 year olds were only deemed adults the year before. She had to fill out the same paperwork that those who joined 2 years earlier filled out since she was a minor and needed her parents signatures on any contracts. She stayed at the school for 3 semesters when her father made her transfer since he was tired of paying tuition for her to major in Partying at a party school.

DaffyKD

There weren't a ton of 16 and 17 year olds going through recruitment, but every year I was in college my chapter bid a couple of them. They made great sisters, not because of their ages, but because they fit what we were looking for.

Yes, I was 16 when I got my bid. On Bid Day, I got the dreaded phone call, because neither of the houses where I preffed had known I was 16 (which means that neither of them read my rec before then!). My mother had answered the phone, got into a little dust up that it was very much the wrong time to suddenly be worried about it, and that she & my daddy would sign off on any paperwork. I got to celebrate Bid Day with my sisters (shocked them that I already knew the Greek alphabet!) and they both signed the next day - and embarrassing, checked out the chapter, since they hadn't seen the ADPi suite!

I think risk management is much, much more strict now that it was when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I understand why. People are more litigious, and special snowflakes are less likely to take responsibility for their actions. A person who is 16 knows that they cannot legally drink, but some still feel the need to do so. It really depends on the person.

FYI, our youngest founder, Olivia Andrew Rush, was 13.

http://www.kualphadeltapi.org/upload.../1763/rush.jpg

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.