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I need advice asap on a gpa situation!
I will start by saying that i did use the search function and could not find anything that pertained to my specific problem so please don't tell me to try that. I have been reading the great advice on GC all summer for my upcoming recruitment. I am a Junior transfer at my school and in high school had a 3.7 gpa. I know that high school gpa doesn't matter anymore i'm just putting it out there to show that I am a good student.
I signed up for recruitment and then was notified that my 2.79 transfer gpa was flagged in the "gray area" for gpas and i'm not sure what "gray area" means in this case. I know that my school has 2.5 gpa requirement for recruitment and I thought my 2.79 meant that I was in the clear for grades. They said we can write a letter to explain the situation for our low gpa and i'm really not sure what to do. I was caught off guard about this information and am very confused. I don't feel that a b/b- average is a horrible gpa and of course they are letting other girls rush with as low as 2.5. My last two gpas were a 3.8 and 3.2 but I have a lower from my freshman year that is bringing my overall down. I know that I am a good student and I am slowly but surely raising my gpa. I know that my junior status already is a strike against me and now with this I feel like I am going to be dropped after the first night! I do have a somewhat decent explanation for the one semester gpa that is bringing down my overall gpa but i need some advice from you gcer's! Why am I in this gray area? How long should my letter be? I am just really nervous and confused now. I feel really unconfident about recruitment because it seems everything is working against me. |
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Panhellenic/Greek Life sets the requirement of 2.5 to participate in recruitment. However, each CHAPTER sets it's OWN indivdual GPA requirement. Those may be higher than 2.5. So, you have have a high enough GPA to rush, but your GPA could be potentially lower than many of the chapter GPAs. Example: you have a 2.79, but ABC Sorority requires a 2.8, and XYZ requires a 2.9. The letter may serve to explain your low GPA to some of the chapters, so they can see that you have had higher grades in the past. Granted they may or may not be willing to take girls who are below their requirements, but it's best to write the letter and see. This is just what I'm thinking. |
just guessing here, but it may be that the chapters on your campus ordinarily require a higher gpa for the pnms they want to pledge. for instance, the chapters may all actually pledge girls with nothing lower than a 3.0. if that is the case, you might be considered in a grey area because your overall gpa is below that, but you have done well your last 2 semesters.
since they suggested writing a letter to explain your gpa, i think it might be worth a try. |
Not knowing your school, in most cases being a Junior puts you at a disadvantage. Double that with your low GPA, and you are a grade-risk.
Many college Greek websites list the Semester GPA rankings for all of their chapters. In most cases you will see Chapter Averages above a 3.0. If you are hoping to join a chapter that is traditionally at the top of the scholarship rankings, you might be disappointed. It doesn't matter that the last two semesters were much higher; they only look at the average. |
I am going to write the letter to explain. I am just depressed about the situation now because I have been working very hard to make up my gpa and I thought i was doing well. Does it even matter what my most recent semester gpa was? it was much higher than my overall gpa and I would assume that would show that I am working on academics and improving greatly. Also I know that one house on my campus has a 2.7 gpa requirement to stay active but is that the same as the gpa requirement to get a bid?
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On second thought, your grades may not be so bad in comparison. These are Spring 2008, so they are somewhat dated, but are not as high as most schools.
Alpha Chi Omega 2.936 Delta Gamma 2.824 Gamma Phi Beta 2.740 Kappa Kappa Gamma 2.675 Pi Beta Phi 2.613 Sigma Kappa 2.763 |
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I think you guessed the wrong school. But knowing that some schools are lower is motivating. Sigma Kappa is not a current sorority at my school but the others are. I tried looking for the grade rankings at my school and didn't have any luck. Our greek life website is not very helpful compared to others I have seen. |
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If you need a 2.7 to stay active, it is likely that you will need that in order to get a bid or at least get initiated (if you can get a bid with a lower GPA). |
Agreed w/ KSU.
If you need a 2.7 to stay active, I'd imagine that would be the absolute minimum that they would accept for nms. |
Every Chapter can be different. Some may consider your most recent semester GPAs, especially if they really like you. That would provide a good justification to support a request/decision for grade exception status because you have proven you can make the grades. But there are no guarantees.
Frankly I've never heard of a Panhellenic asking a PNM to provide a letter of explanation, but I like the idea. Usually in these types of situations the only recourse a PNM has is for a Rec writer to explain. You have the unique opportunity to tell your story in your own words of how/why one semester is dragging down your cumulative. All you can do is hope they take it into consideration. As for the minimum GPA for a member to remain active, no that is not always the same as the minimum to be eligible to become a new member. A Chapter may want to raise their GPA ranking. This can't just happen overnight and so a long term plan is developed. Part of that plan may be they will only consider PNMs with a higher GPA than in times past. Plus there's the simple easy cut reason. If there are 500 PNMs and you can only invite back 300, GPA is an easy non-personal cut. FYI - Actually Chapters may have several "minimums" that can vary: an I/natl minimum to remain active vs a local minimum which may be higher; a minimum to hold an office; for an active to have zero weekly study hall hours or X hours or Y hours; to be active but be on partial or full social probation; or the worst case to be considered for membership cancellation (after more than just 1 bad semester). |
Sorry, I was reading too many threads at once. Another referenced UCR. Back to our regularly scheduled program.
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Honestly, unless you were caring for a mother or father who was dying or were going through some sort of serious, life-threatening disease yourself, an "explanation letter" just sounds like a b.s. excuse. Unless there is a real, very serious reason for your grades being so poor freshman year, an explanation letter is not going to impress anyone. I have no idea what your reasoning is for your poor, but can only assume that it wasn't a serious illness or else you would've probably mentioned it.
Screwing up your freshman year because of immaturity, not taking it seriously, partying too much, or whatever other reason people screw up their freshman year, isn't going to impress anyone or get sympathy. Kudos to you for getting your grades up, but you still have to accept and deal with the choices you made your freshman year to get poor grades. If you're a a) junior; b) transfer AND c) have a low GPA, the chips are stacked against you. |
I think it's great the college gave a heads up about the GPA being problematic, and my guess is that the explanation letter is offered to everyone so that if there were important extenuating circumstances for any PNM, the chapters would learn about it.
I also think it's kind of funny how common grade inflation has become. The grade distribution that Benzgirl posted should probably reflect grades a little better than the campus average if grades really went along with a C being average. Instead, now they look low, and GLO have up-ed their standards accordingly. ETA: I agree that the OP might have a really hard recruitment, but all she can do is try if she wants to be greek. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. |
I would just like to add my 2 cents here -
So many freshmen entering have inflated GPAs these days and there is no telling how any of them will perform once they begin their first semester or their first year cum GPA. There have been way too many examples that I have seen where amazing high school GPAs did not continue in college. It is not because the young women did not try, but it is a whole different game than high school. I have also seen the opposite case where lower high school GPAs ended up doing superior in college. Many young women and men start off rough their first year and continue to do better as they move through college and that is nothing to be ashamed of. I think if you have an opportunity to write a letter and explain yourself, then by all means do! I agree with Zillini that this is a super time for you to express yourself, so take advantage of it. The other thing that I wanted to mention is that new members at most schools become sisters before their first semester grades are ever seen. It use to be you pledged first semester and did not get initated until second semester after grades where reported etc. At least you are able to prove that you do have a 2.79 collegiate GPA and hopefully, you can express that your GPA has continued to rise with each semester. I feel your class standing may be the hard part right now. I wish you luck! |
I would just like to make a suggestion. If you have a good reason for your GPA, definitely let the chapters know (and the letter seems like a perfect way to do it) and also let them know that it has been rising, but make sure you do not talk about it too much during the parties! It seems like some PNMs can really focus on one thing that they're worried about to the point where the sororities stop listening to you. Remember, grades are only one part of recruitment.
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well...
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similar situation
Sorry to crash...
Because I don't know which school I will attend next year, I can't say for sure whether or not their Panhellenic does this. But in any case, I would like to pose a hypothetical. If my future school's panhellenic does accept letters of explanation such as the OP's does, how much information is too much? My letter would indeed account for one bad semester, a semester off, and the an explanation of why i'm gonna be a 20 yr old sophomore. Yes of course you should have a very good, real reason. But should it be tangible? Would it be acceptable to provide an oncologist's phone number, in case a sorority wanted to "verify". I'd like to say that i'm on top of everything else, as of right now i am halfway through one of 2 semesters that i must complete to transfer. And As i calculate it, I need to have a 3.5 for these consecutive semesters. Which is very attainable. As for my recs, most are from alumna of TT, UT-SA and UT, AzState, and UofAz. I'm confident i will have at least 2 recs for each group. But as said before, "connections" aren't everything. That is why i'm worried about the 2.8 i have now. Any response to providing Too much information in an explanation letter would be greatly appreciated. |
Would a chapter be able to bend the minimum GPA rules based on a PNM's letter? I've never heard of such a thing. Maybe this happens with less competitive recruitments?
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Even if they do, submitting one doesn't guarantee that a chapter will make an exception to its GPA requirement to invite you back. Alot of times, chapters are not permitted (by policies) to make exceptions to their GPA standards. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is not the norm for a chapter to make an exception for grades. It would truly have to be an exceptional situation. |
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I'm curious - if you care to share - what are your per-semester GPAs? I am simply curious as to how low they were and how high they have become in recent semesters.
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As has been said, grade exceptions, if accepted at all, must be truly extraordinary situations. Many chapters can't even make exceptions, or must get permission from higher up the chains to take a grade exception/grade risk. Your reasons that you gave, while I'm sure were tough for you, to a stranger are nothing so out of the ordinary as to warrant a grade exception. Not to you personally, but to others reading this thread: Anyone who has a bad semester, in hindsight, can come up with some sort of semi-logical explanation for it. I think all of us here on GC DO NOT want PNMs who are visiting a site to think that a poor GPA average can be overcome with some sort of letter explanation. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Most schools likely will not accept a letter, and in most circumstances, the reasons for your poor grades will not matter. The rules are the rules and they are there for a reason. Unless you have a truly compelling reason, you are stuck with your grades and the consequences thereof. |
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In a nutshell, if your grades are below a chapter's GPA, expect to be cut. |
And yet, in my experience, exceptions can and have been made. I think it probably varies with chapters.
My instinct is if they are asking for a letter, then they want one. They want to hear more about the pnm, her situation, etc. And better to have a letter that everyone can read, analyze, debate and discuss than rely on Susie Sorority's courtroom skills to convince the membership that her rush crush is worth the academic risk. No need to make the letter sound defensive, either. It just needs to be well written and clearly explains your situation. I think the fact that you had one bad year or semester balanced by good ones will carry weight, but that needs to be laid out in the letter. I don't think the chapter will see your transcript - just your current gpa, so this would be info they need to better assess your case. |
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speaking for the many chapters I'm familiar with, and not just those of my own letters, grades are one factor that is set in stone. No bending. We recruit, very heavily, PNMs who will be positive contributors to our GPAs. There is a healthy competition among the houses to be first in ASA (all sorority average) and to have a GPA that is above the University average. It is a great selling point during recruitment, for both PNMs and their parents. I don't know of a single sorority that wasn't founded based on academic principles, to assist women in gaining a toehold/step up in a man's world. The emphasis on academics is foremost, and continues to this day. Everything else (sisterhood, social aspects, service), IMO, flows from this common love of and pursuit of knowledge. (steps down from academic soapbox to polite applause of peers) |
I think that groups have national/international minimums that they won't go under, but that at a lot of campuses what the chapter actually wants is a lot higher than that minimum. In those cases, I can see that for a very exceptional girl, an exception might be made.
So let's say you have to have a 2.6 but the new member average is typically a 3.4. A girl with a 3.0 probably has some 'splainin' to do, and even then, it might be a long shot. |
Well the problem that I have is mostly that my college gpa is being compared to the freshmans high school gpa. I would think that they would be weighted differently because college is obviously more difficult than high school. I had a high gpa in high school too. So all these girls that come in with high gpas might not maintain them in college. I think comparing a freshman who had a gpa of 2.79 in high school compared to my college 2.79 isnt fair. When i transferred schools my gpa was weighted differently because it was college credit and not high school credit. How can a sorority honestly believe that a girl who can only manage a 2.79 in high school will amount to a higher gpa in much harder class and school? It just doesnt seem fair to me. Sorry for ranting.
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Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I would think that most chapters have a separate GPA requirement for college and HS. Example: A chapter at my school required a 3.0 HS (for freshmen with no college GPA) and a 2.80 for college students. |
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I have seen two different minimums for hs and college gpa. Can you call the Greek Life office and clarify this on your campus? It may be that they are lumping you in with the freshmen since you are a transfer student.
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Most Chapters I know of, both within my own GLO and others, have separate Freshmen HS & Upperclassmen college GPA minimums.
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You are lucky that you have the opportunity to explain yourself. I would definitely highlight the fact that your GPA has improved in recent semesters. Just be aware that you have a lot going against you (junior status, transfer, low GPA), and you may have significantly fewer choices than the rest of the PNMs. Don't assume that all PNMs who are above the minimum GPA for Panhellenic or a chapter are treated equally.
Focus on what you CAN control. You can control your conversational skills, GPA this semester, and personal presentation. You can also meet sorority women before recruitment. |
and be open to the houses that do welcome you back. Grade requirements aren't modified based on size or status of a chapter, but willingness to accept a junior many times is.
Repeating, work on the things you CAN control, being nice to EVERYONE, going in knowing as many women as possible, having recommendations, looking polished every day, etc. And I would send the letter in and include what your grades have been each semester since your start. If you can demonstrate that you will likely make grades every semester for the rest of your college career, if you're close to the cut off mark, that will help a lot. Best of luck to you. It sucks when one bad semester can have such a big impact on the rest of your college career and beyond! Hopefully some chapter will be able to see and take advantage of your potential. |
Solid advice has been given above!
I would also like to mention if you are studying something that is extremely difficult and known to be a rigorous major (i.e chemical engineering, pre-med etc.) I would mention this as well in your letter. It makes a big difference to see a young woman improve her GPA in any major, but it is harder to do so when you are taking challenging entry level courses to certain rigorous degree programs. Back in the day, we did compare GPAs of young women and looked at what their majors were. For ex: a 2.75-3.0 collegiate GPA weighed nicely for a chemical engineering major vs a 3.25 for someone in an undergrad degree program which was known to be less challenging. |
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