Need Help With Recruitment
 

Hello,

I have just transferred to MTSU this summer. I am 23 and am 3 credit hours short of being a Sophmore. I had originally went to college for a semester when I was 18 but wanted to be out in the "real world". For the past 2 years, I have been working full-time and attending a community college 1-2 classes/semester. I have been working up the corporate ladder for the past few years until I hit a dead end in my career due to not having a degree. I decided to go for it and head back to school. So, here I am. Ready to rock!

I am really excited about recruitment. Though to be honest, I know next to nothing about sororities, except what I have read on a few websites. I am the first to even attempt college in my family, so that has been a huge accomplishment to me and my family. Any information anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. The sororities on campus are:

Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Chi Omega
Zeta Tau Alpha
Delta Zeta
Kappa Delta
Chi Omega

I need help with what to expect, what to do, how much it cost, anything and everything sorority related. Thanks for all your help in advance! It is greatly appreciated!
Vanessa

Man, all of you MTSU girls! Must be a good Greek system because you girls seem to be beating down the sorority houses doors! :D

It's also nice to see so many non-traditional students rushing there. Welcome to GC, devoted04!

I would do a search for you, but I think you can simply get a lot of information from two resources:

1. Two other girls are going to be going through Formal Recruitment there also. MTSUgurl is one of them... she sticks out because of her ID and the fact that she is a regular here!

2. Read through the first page of threads. It may seem overwhelming, but you do have a month to do it.

Sorority costs depend on the chapter itself and many other factors. Please keep in mind that, for the most part, ALL of your costs are included, and include (inter)national membership dues (which are usually not much more than $50/year). Sometimes living expenses are also included.

As for dress... well that's been the hot topic lately! I'd talk to one of the girls at your school or see if they offer a Recruitment catalog there. Sundresses seem to be rather popular at this point in time, so you won't have to get a new Prom dress or anything, but just make sure you look nice... no need to try to be Barbie!

Whew, I hope that helped.

congrats on rushing!!!! and on being the first in your family to attempt college, that's so inspiring :) you should expect a lot of fun from recruitment, it's a great way to meet all kinds of people and get involved...a lot of girls buy lots of clothes and shoes and jewelry especially for sorority recruitment, but my advice is that, if you're going to buy new stuff, make sure that you'll actually wear it down the road...one of my friends went through recruitment last year, bought a ton of stuff and never wore some of it again...i would also definitely contact the sorority council leadership if there is one and get some more information about the chapters on your campus...they can also tell you more about the rush environment and what to expect every day during rush...GOOD LUCK! :D :D :D

Rush advice
 

That's so awesome you want to rush while getting the degree you need.
I would recommend to focus on what grade you are in school-wise -- that you are almost a sophomore, because that shows you will be there a while.
At my chapter (Zeta Tau Alpha at UW in Seattle) being 23 looks kinda different though; we still took a 22 year old junior one year, but I heard rush is a lot harder down south. Just make sure you are prepared for a hard rush, and DO NOT get disappointed! :) Get as many references as you can, visit alumnae chapters; there are listings on most national sorority websites. I'm an RC this year, so my advice is to just be yourself and have fun; it all works out for the best!!!

minizeta
 

Minizeta, I tried to PM you but it wouldn't let me. I wanted to talk to you about your living in Washington.

Good luck with recruitment in the fall from a fellow Tennessee PNM!

Hi, Vanessa~

I am a ZTA Murfreesboro Alumna. I can give you a little insight about the MTSU greek system. Feel free to contact me, and we can chat.

Minimum GPA is 2.5 to go through recruitment. Also, your first semester will be the most expensive, but then the dues will decrease. However, since we do not have sorority houses on our campus, dues are not all that expensive.

Good luck, and just have fun!

Heather

Yes, definitely keep this in mind! Pledge semester costs look staggering (you should've seen the look on my parents' face when they saw my bills! :D ), but it will decrease.

Good luck and have fun!

AWWW YAAY! Wow there really are alot of us MTSU girls on here now I remember when it was like just Jessica(zetaluvbunny) and I! anyways Vanessa, have you gone to the greek life office and gotten an application yet? The application also tells a little about recruitment and the requirements and also the dates of rush. If need anything else at all....just give me a shout! I will be more than happy to help!

Nichole

Vanessa - I cannot wait to get started! Can you? I am so excited that there is more PNMs other than just me from MTSU
on here - we have all got to get together and be excited and neurotic in one place.

Thank you!
 

Thank you all for your support. I am SUPER excited...and super nervous.

Crystal-DEFINITELY excited! I can't wait to start!!!

Nichole-I just read about your "situation"!! You poor thing!!! Good luck!!!

I tried to swing by the greek life office this evening but the building was already locked up. I am going first thing tomorrow.

This may sound silly, but do the girls usually start dressing up from the beginning (information meeting on Aug 15) or can I go casual and just be myself?

thanks....and you gals ROCK!
Vanessa

Questions
 

Someone suggested that I check out some of the other threads for information...and boy, did I get a lot of info! I do have a few questions though....

What is pref night?? How many different sororities can you list as your top choices? I read something about suicide pref, what is that? If you only prefer for 1 sorority, can another sorority still choose you? Or can you only be chosen for the ones you prefer? I am so lost on this whole process. I know it will all be explained during recruitment....but I can't wait that long!!!! :)

Thanks!
Vanessa

I'll try to go in order lol.

Preference Night is the final night of Formal Recruitment. The chapters that invite you are seriously considering you for membership. It is a beautiful night where all the sororities appeal to you to join, and basically, it's how you decide to rank the groups.

At the end of the night, you will rank the sororities you were invited back to. Some girls rank only one, and that is called suiciding. It's considered bad by some, but either way, it should only be done if you decide you are only comfortable with ONE sorority, and you would be miserable with the other ones. If you suicide, that one sorority is the only one that you can possibly receive a bid from. If you rank more than one you are eligible for a bid from any one of those groups on your preference card. Depending on where you appear on bid lists, and the order in which you rank the sororities will determine who you receive a bid from.

I'm not going to even get into bid matching, because even though I've been a sister for nearly 3 years, it's still just so incredibly complex.

Re: Thank you!
 

I know that I am not going to dress up for orientation*if I go* thats just not really me. I hate having to really dress up in the first place only because i feel it shouldnt matter what clothes you wear but who you are, I didnt really DRESS UP when I did recruitment but it was informal then too. but I will probably dress casually at the orientation meeting.

Nichole

bid
 

So at what point during recruitment can you be dropped?

What is usually involved before pref night?

I'm assuming you get to visit each sorority and learn about them...will that only be n the informational meetings?

Everyone keeps telling me to slow down and enjoy it! hehe BUT I AM JUST SO EXCITED!!!

Vanessa