We have known loads of legacies who rushed at UGa. Not one made it into her legacy house.:(

One Kappa legacy from my hometown went to UGa and pledged Kappa. A Chi O legacy from my hometown went to UGa a couple of years before her and pledged Chi O. It can be done, but I'm sure it's very competitive!

A friend of mine is a double legacy to Phi Mu. She was released two years in a row by Phi Mu at UGA. She was 6th in her class and was very active in high school. I can't think of any reason why she would have been released...It is just so hard because so many awesome girls go through there! I feel it for any girl who goes through at UGA because of the competitiveness.

What happened to your cousin? :D

She was one of those who got invited back to the max. # each day- everyone loved her. She ended up having to choose between KD, which both her sisters were in, and A Chi O, which our grandmother and great-aunt were in (at UGA). She went KD. However, she is not staying at UGA. She is transferring to North Georgia, but they have a KD there.

I looked on the www.uga.edu Panhellenic page and was also amused that they still use the terms "rush" and "rushee".;) :o
I figure they are in the midst of revising for Fall recruitment.

Good luck to UGA! Hope things go smoother than last year.

I have a done of family that live in GA and a lot of sorority women. My cousin is graduating and going to Valdosta this year, hoping to transfer to UGA her sophomore year. Anyway, She is just going to rush and pledge at Valdosta. (her sister was a recent Phi Mu at Valdosta, just like VSUPhiMu)

I had a friend that was a Rho Chi this last year at UGA and she said it is brutal, She is a theta and was a double leg (She Rocks too). In her group, the ones that didnt get dropped at Pref, 5 suicided, and the others got their 2nd or third choice. I will try to find the email she sent to us detailing the experience.

My cousins and I have an Aunt that was a theta at UGA, but my PNM cousin doesnt want to risk going through rush and getting dropped because she was a sophomore. Also, I think she will fall in love with VSU and not transfer(her brother and nephew live in the town)

Its so personal in the South when chapters drop legacys. My ADpi Aunt wrote a letter to their internationals, complaing, when I was dropped after first round. At NCSU, my chapter and Sigma Kappa require legacies to automatically recieve a bid, unless they do not make grades or are absolutely horrible.

If you read the panhellenic recruitment site that was previously linked, it mentions that "legacies are no more pressured to join thier legacy house than the house is to bid them" (insert a comparable synonem for pressured my quote is a paraphrase). Either way, it doesn't seem like there is as much emphasis on it as you would expect to see in a school like UGA (soooo many alums with disapointed daughters!!!)

Hmm...I took that to mean that the sorority didn't have to take all of their legacies and not that it wasn't such a big deal. I think it's good to remind the PNMs that they aren't forced to choose only from their legacies either. It's always been my impression that many of the UGA sororities may have more legacies going through than quota, therefore they literally can't take all of them. Lets say that quota will be 48 this fall, and ABC, DE, FGH, NOP, and TU all have 75+ legacies going through each. I don't think that's too far fetched, either (southern belles, please weigh in here!) I believe these chapters are allowed a bit more leniency to cut legacies earlier than you may find on other campuses because of that. You may not see the 'courtesy' invite at schools like this, because I've heard of many multiple-legacy PNMs being cut early on. Regardless, if a legacy is invited to their Prefs then they still should be on the 1st bid list of most NPC groups.

It would be a shame if there were 20 non-legacy girls that XYZ just adored and they couldn't invite them back or bid them because they were forced to take only legacies. Then, imagine explaining to a family member "Legacy PNM was 54 on the list and we just didn't have room." Ouch.

Christin

At Alabama, some of the older houses have many more legacies going through rush than they can accept. "Local" legacies, especially those whose sister or mother was a member of that particular chapter, have an advantage over those whose relatives were initiated elsewhere. Even better would be if your grandmothers (on both sides!), your mother, your aunts and your sisters were all members of that particular chapter. ;) Oh, and maybe your great-grandmother, too! Of course, that doesn't happen often... but locality is key. Tradition is big here. Now, not everyone whos mother was an XYZ at *smallnorthernschool* will get dropped, but you can't assume that you will get a bid just becuase you're a legacy. I think that UGA's website is just reinforcing that fact, but they are trying to state it in a nicer way.

The year my daughter rushed at LSU, word was Phi Mu had more legacies than quota. I know they cut a handfull of legacies from our town. There are stories evey year of girls who are legacies and get cut even with close ties to the chapter AND alum positions.

I feel certain that most chapters would try to accomidate a legacy, but with huge rush numbers and years of growth (and births) under their belt, it is impossible in some cases. Plus, not every legacy is going to measure up to the standards, be it in terms of grades or morals.

I know of a situation at UGA in which a great-great granddaughter of an original founder--not of the local chapter, of the national organization--got cut. That is reaaallly low.:(

well....
 

...despite the huge numbers and odds of getting a bid at UGA, I am excited! The daughter of a pledge sister of mine from Southern Cal is going thru rush this Fall; she is a double Gamma Phi legacy as well as a Kappa legacy -- I really hope she becomes a Gamma Phi because she is adorable and talented and smart!:D

On the other hand, I feel really really really old to know that a pledge sister's daughter is going to college:eek:

That happened at my school, too. She didn't list it on her sign-up sheet for recruitment, though, so it's partially her fault, but you would think that the chapter would find out about things like that.

Exactly! Also not automatically taking legs gives the girls a chance to make a decision without the pressure of knowing she got in just because she was a leg or an opportunity to join a house she would rather join than her legacy chapter.

I do think a chapter should be shot (literally) for not accepting a Chapter's FOUNDER's great great grand daughter. (assuming grades and she isnt a criminal. of course) I would think the national organization would have had her red flagged.

Sigh
 

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I am a little bit peeved. SDT is NOT a "Jewish sorority." I know it may be primarily Jewish at UGA, but my chapter has girls of many different religious beliefs. I'm Catholic, the girl who preffed me is Southern Baptist. We were founded on the principle of religious freedom. I'm sorry you didn't have a good time at the house, but I think it's a little rude to say that you didn't have any interest SDT because it's Jewish.

Sorry if this came out a little bitchy, but it's something I feel strongly about. On a brighter note, my grandmother was a DG, too. :D

They do, for the most part though, the courtesy invite to second round for legacies. In some cases, I think that is only prolonging the inevitable and giving the young ladies a sense of false hope for an invite to the third round.

Before the numbers spike at LSU, having a rec more or less assured you of an invite to second round. It was a courtesy to the alum who wrote it, acknowledging the idea that her letter meant the young woman deserved a second look. BUT, two years ago, this was not true and so many were released after the first round.

On one hand, I agree with you, but there are so many parties-
10-7-5-3. Mine was lucky, she had a full schedule except on Pref, she went to two. (Can't remember for sure...maybe 4 out of the 5) Most of her friends were down to 4 on the day when they could have gone to 7, or 1-2 when they could have gone to 5. They lost all hope and their confidence was shattered. Do you know how HARD it would be to sit in your room when for two days of a party round you only had one or two houses to visit? And to think you friend/s are going to several parties? Breaks my heart...
Who knows, maybe if they HAD been invited to more, they would have stuck it out. I guess that percentage formula for release figures plays a big role. I just find it hard to understand why the cuts have to be so hard for he first round.

I agree with justamom on this. We've both seen years of rushees crushed by their returns but this new policy of cutting early and heavily is just too harsh. Being cut is rough but being cut by a huge number of sororities early on is absolutely demoralizing. Many PNMs drop out of rush not because they hate the choices they have left but because early and heavy cutting is such a blow..especially if you have high grades, great activities, and a good rep.

One of my daughters dropped out of recruitment because of this and I was told that 70% of her rush group did too.

Re: Sigh
 

You're not being "bitchy". You are absolutely right! SDT can be proud to have such a mature and insightful member. :)

Sorry
 

I didn't mean it to sound that way. But SDT at UGA is Jewish. The girls new all along they weren't going to invite me back..its like they just strung me a long through the third round for the sake of it. One girl acted like it was killing her to talk to me, because she knew I wouldn't be joining. Its not that I didn't like it BECAUSE it was Jewish- I met some nice girls there. ITs just the fact that I knew I wouldn't be joining, i just didn't care about going to their parties. But sorry, I didn't mean to offend any one.

My above post is unclear, I saw i was invited back to one "I had no interest in, SDT". While I had no interest in SDT, there was also another sorority that invited me back that I was not interested in. Just wanted to clear that up.

At larger schools, the "traditionally Jewish" sororities often are composed of almost all Jewish women. At smaller schools, they usually have a mix and no one even thinks about the Jewish aspect.

Re: Sigh
 

I thought that SDT was founded as a Jewish sorority. That doesn't mean that the members are only Jewish. There is nothing wrong with being a Jewish sorority just as there is nothing wrong with being Christian, Protestant, Catholic or non-sectarian sororities. In the past many sororities would not admit women who were Jewish. SDT, AEPhi, DPhiE, and PhiSig were established in the early 1900s to combat this discrimination. My understanding is that SDT and AEPhi were founded as Jewish sororities, and PhiSig and DPhiE were founded as non-sectarian. The chapters of these sororities at many campuses have members of many religions. Some chapters are not as diverse. :)

The brothers of Pi Lambda Phi here tell me that their organization was founded as non-sectarian. Here, that is what they are. However, one of my friends at another school says that they are 100% Jewish there. Same with AEPi... when they were here they were non-sectarian, but at another school I visited, only one guy in their house wasn't Jewish.

So it can happen that groups are non-sectarian in one place and sectarian in another.

Re: Sorry
 

No problem! I understand...I'm sorry you had a negative experience. SDT IS traditionally Jewish, but I was told that we now have no religious affiliation. We were founded at a time when there was some religious bias, and our founders were very proud of their religion. Anyway, there is definitely nothing wrong with being Jewish/Protestant/Catholic/Buddhist, but I just don't want anyone to get the impression that ONLY Jewish girls can and do join SDT. :)

Oh that's a blow. Wow. I suppose you could say all the other stuff that you do with normal legacies, but I'm sure that founder turned over in her grave!

Re: Re: Sorry
 

Yeah, I think it's important just to mention that SDT isn't Jewish at every school. There are PNMs who read this board, and some of them might write SDT off as "only for Jewish girls" because they don't know better, even though the SDT chapter at their school is anything but. I know there are some schools where SDT (or AEPhi) is primarily or even entirely Jewish, but there are also quite a few chapters where it's not. And on a national level, I believe there is currently no religious affiliation for either SDT or AEPhi.

I have a feeling you must be talking about AOII, since I know you and I am an AOII :) I sent in a rec for a girl from my hometown to the UGA chapter and I received a card with that exact wording you mentioned and it was BEFORE rush. I thought it was odd as well. I also know the girl I wrote the rec for was indeed cut.

Wow! :eek:

I can't even imagine how that could happen.

One of my good friends did, however, rush and join AGD at UGA 2 years ago! :)

no chance?
 

I am transfering to UGA in the spring and was hoping to join a sorority. If I come in as a sophomore though, it sounds like I don't have a chance. Would you all agree?:(

Re: no chance?
 

Not necessarily. There are lots of variables and the only thing that I could suggest is to try recruitment. You may get a bid and you may not. The same is true for a first semester freshman. There are a couple of GCers who went through Continuous Open Recruitment (COR) this Spring and received bids. One was a upperclass transfer student. Just keep in mind that not all sororities participate in COR.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Ditto what aopirose said, it may be a bit harder but doesn't mean it won't happen. I had several sophmores in my pledge class. Also, COR is always a good option. Good luck!

Just Curious,

How have things changed the past 2 years. Has things gotten better?

After reading i am just curious as to what is going on down there.

oi...just from reading that (yes, all 8 pages), the rho chi in me wanted to have a nervous breakdown.

I was really surprised at the "suicide= no bid no way no how" rule. We strongly encourage the girls to fill their cards completely here, but we always have a HUGE amount of girls suiciding, and for the most part the girls get what they wanted. I can only remember 3 or 4 girls not getting invites to final round, and only a handful of girls not bidmatching at the end (they suicided). The rules here are...if you accept and attend a final party, you appear somewhere on their bid list.

What is intersting about our process is that it is possible to extend bids to girls who suicided other chapters (we don't have a formal name for it, but I suppose it would be what you all call snap bidding). I know that our current President suicided another sorority, my big suicided another sorority, another senior suicided another sorority, one suicided Tau Delta. In my pledge class, I think 4 girls suicided TD. I know that at least 3 girls in our NM class suicided Tau Delta. It works well for us beause we typically accept our first preferences right off the bat (we usually don't make quota...we're building slowly). If we lost all the girls that suicided (us or any other house) the system would be really screwed.

Part of the reason that groups are required to cut so heavily is to prevent them from leading women on that they would probably only give a bid to if aliens landed in a spaceship and took every other woman on the campus. :) Maybe that's a little extreme, but the reason that release figures exist is for the benefit of the PNMs so they don't go through the week thinking "wow, XYZ really wants me" and get so wrapped up in XYZ that they don't bother to get to know the other sororities. What the PNM doesn't know is that XYZ is only inviting her back to make the room look full and make the sorority look desirable to the PNMs they REALLY want - who are usually the same 150 PNMs every other sorority wants.

So it may seem harsh, but it's really trying to do them a favor.

Also, a lot of the cuts may be due to grades. Often the GPA required to go through rush is lower than what the sororities themselves require (that is, the school says you must have a 2.5 but XYZ sorority's national policies say you must have a 2.8 to receive a bid.).

In the defense of formal recruitment (cause I love it!) I'm going to say this: to me, it's not the system that doesn't make sense... it's just a problem with the PNMs understanding it. (And I'm not trying to offend anyone!) Yes, someone could be cut by ten houses after only talking for thirty minutes. Hell, someone could be cut by ALL the houses. But a PNM always seems to forget that they filled out an application for recruitment... and that information is shared with all the chapters. Houses know before you even walk through the door whether or not they would be interested in you. (Think about things like high school GPA, activities, etc.) So a PNM shouldn't think she was cut because she failed or that they hated her or any other negative thing she may be thinking! My chapter, for example has a GPA requirement, if your application says you don't have the required GPA, you're out... regardless of how much we love you and how great of a girl you are. I mean, we're talking about how horrible it is to be cut for second round... but what chapters cut BEFORE they even met you? After all, a lot of times they've already got their minds made up anyway. That'd be even worse.

I don't go to Georgia... so can someone clarify something? Is it that you can only be INVITED back to 12 houses or that you can only ATTEND 12 parties? Here, every house could invite us back for the second round but we can only go to nine houses... which sometimes leaves the PNM making the cuts rather than the houses.

Ok. Here's how it works. Round 1. PNMs attend parties at all 18 houses over 2 days. After attending their last party they rank the houses 1-18, with one being their first choice, ect... Round 2 consists of 12 parties. It is possible for a PNM to be invited back to more than 12 houses. If the PNM is invited back to the houses that she ranked 1-12, then those are the houses that they go to. If not, then it just goes down the list to 13, 14,...18. However, I think that it is pretty rare for someone to be invited to more parties than they can attend.

Also, I know that I've posted this in another thread somewhere, but at UGA grade cuts are NOT an issue. I would say that about 95% of the PNMs are incoming freshmen. UGA has become a pretty competative school. My freshman class (Fall 2004) had average score of:
Average Core GPA
> 4.05
Average SAT
> 1437

Therefore, if you had the grades to get into the school, you have the grades to get into the sorority.

I really think that a lot of recruitment at UGA is based on the first impression. On paper, 99% of the PNMs are STELLAR. I think it also has a lot to do with who you know (if you come from an area like mine where there are about 300 people from my hs at UGA) and whether they like you or you stole their boyfriend in hs.

AGAIN, I have never been on the other side of recruitment, so these are guesses/opinions. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I know that there are several UGA people on this board.

Well, my niece rushed at UGA in Fall 2003 and she was only cut by one group during rush!:eek: I think that several girls in her group were pretty lucky that way. However, I know many outstanding PNMs who weren't.

Your got it exactly, as UGA has raised it's admission standards over the years the incoming classes are better and better and most girls going through are freshman. Georgia is a small state when it comes to this stuff too, many girls are well known by people from the same home town before they hit campus. It is still a very formal rush and competative system-not good or bad that is just the way it is.

Does ANYONE have any CURRENT UGA Panhellenic info? (Websites, chapter site links) I wanted to give a relative of mine links to the info, but I can't seem to find any. :confused: