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A young lady from our smaller city in Virginia rushed last year and is very happy there. I know she went in as a freshman without knowing anyone so it can be done!

How about cities/towns in Tennessee for the names? Or cities/towns from your state!

As a die-hard Gamecock, I can't say Go Vols, but best of luck to your daughter! :)

Good luck to your daughter vol mom. I was an anxious mom few years ago (not at UTK) and I sure understand your position. I do not not much about Tenn rush so won't comment but just wanted to say, welcome.

Vol Mom, the heaviest cuts will come for Philanthropy Round. Under the current system, chapters are each given a number they must cut down to after each round. It is based on things like past return rate, chapter size, etc. I talked to some UT advisors today and frankly, I was shocked at how many girls some of the chapters were required to cut. However, the system does seem to be working as there seem to be fewer girls falling through the cracks, and all of the chapters are making quota every year.
Tell your daughter to maximize her options and keep an open mind. Every chapter at UT is strong. I know very happy girls in all of them. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions. Good luck to your daughter -can't wait to read her story and see where she ends up. Go Vols!

FormerLurker is right. Heaviest cuts came after Philanthropy. Some chapters have already had to release two-thirds of the women who initially signed up for recruitment. While women aren't technically "released early" for the things you asked about, it is definitely a starting point after open house when some chapters have to release half or more of the PNMs after those short parties.

I'm not a UTK alum, but I assume that they use RFM down in K-town, and I don't see how it'd be any different than other school in that every chapter has to release a different number of women after each round, so you can't really say that the heaviest cuts come after any particular round. Some chapters release the most after round 1, some after round 2, and some after round 3. Perhaps the posters' chapters made/make the heaviest cuts after philanthropy round, but that can't be the case with every chapter.

As far as early cuts for "obvious" things like low GPA, not having a rec...I'm sure those things will get you cut early at many chapters, especially GPA depending on how low it is. However, don't think that if you were cut after round 1 that there was something "obviously" wrong with you. For chapters who must cut half of the PNMs after round 1, it becomes a game of "who MUST we keep?" If a chapter has 150 members, and quota is usually around 50, and every member has 2-3 favorite PNMs, with some overlap, many of those favorites will be cut.

YES

[QUOTE=vol_mom;1971686]Thank you for the feedback everyone! I have faith that it will all work out. Now, whether "work out" means getting a bid... :).

I am guessing that most of the girls -- correction: WOMEN -- going through recruitment there are comparable in that they got recs and have decent GPA's. I know that standards for admission have risen considerably at UT and I read that over 45% of incoming freshman this year have above a 4.0. My guess is that many of these women fall into this category.

I know this is a lot of rambling, sorry! I'm driving my hubby crazy :). As a former frat boy he does understand, he just doesn't see the point in worrying since it is out of our control. Because I have nothing better to do than wait until tonight...here is what I've been wondering about. My daughter secured recs for all but two of thirteen chapters. Ironically, both of these chapters invited her back to Philanthropy, yet one that she DID have a rec for released her. One of the two that did invite her back (without a rec) was a favorite of both her roommate and a suitemate. Can you guess?? They both had recs and both were released."

In my experince recs only help so much, they help the chapter know the PNM better but cannot guarantee that the PNM will be given an invite past the first round. At some schools recs may mean more, but if most of the women have a rec then it just makes the playing field even. The best was to expect an invite past the first round is to be a leg.

Recs are not a guarantee of an invitation or lack thereof an automatic cut. They just help the chapters prepare, and the more prepared they are the better they can get to know the gals. Plus, the chapters can get a rec on your behalf if they wanted/needed to. The huge campuses need them because there's no realistic way of cutting, what, 300 women in 1 night without them or without throwing darts at a wall. I'm glad her recruitment is going well!

I completely understand how worried you are. Mine isn't at UT-K but went into an SEC school pretty much cold turkey. I didn't have the opportunity to rush when I was in college so I was basically worthless for help/advice. I wish I had known about Greek Chat before she started! It's been a God-send for understanding what she's involved in.

But, hang in there, no matter what happens, she'll grow, mature and learn, which is what college is all about. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Just to chime in on violetpretty's post- All 3 chapters I am in touch with had to make very heavy cuts after Open House- and then again after Philanthropy. Since those chapters have already had to cut down so far-(if they have to cut many more they will be preffing less than quota x2- is this normal under RFM?)- those chapters SHOULD be nearly done with their heaviest cutting. The chapters whose advisors I talk to all had to do it that way, and post-philanthropy is when you always hear about big cuts at UT, so I have always assumed all chapters made their big cuts at the same time- obviously incorrectly. It does make sense that some chapters are still carrying more girls right now but may have to cut more before preference.
To address the other part of Vol Mom's question about grades and recs- if chapters have to release girls after Open House (without really meeting them because at UT only a small group of actives is allowed to be at Open House), grades, recs and resume are about the only thing they have to go on, so those releases are probably all done early. It has become like a job interview process, where the interviews are scheduled for those whose resumes look good.
RFM is an interesting process but it does seem to work better for the pmn's than the old way did.
And yes, VolMom, a nice bottle of wine would be a good idea for the next few nights! I hope your daughter continues to have a good experience.

best of luck to her!!!!

Best of luck and although I'm not at UTK I am in state and also used dog breeds for my recruitment story :)

I'm a UT alumna (Class of 1989), and I've thought several times this week how glad I am that I'm not having to go through recruitment! It's just very stressfull for everybody.

Back in the day, we got our invites in the morning, so we knew where we were going that night. I have to say, I like this way much better.

Vol Mom - I have to laugh...my daughter is going through recruitment at UT also and the pinot grigio is chilling as we speak. I didn't go to UT but was a _ _ somewhere else in state. I didn't think I cared if she went through recruitment, but find myself a little too anxious about what's going on with her and hoping she finds her place. She called last night and told me what she put down as her 3 #1's, her #2, #3, and #4 picks for pref night. I was planning on going to Knoxville today, but she said she wanted to sleep late, then start getting ready around 1 pm so that she could be at panhellenic when she starts at 3 pm (seems early, but oh well...). She told me to save my trip, that she "didn't need me to be here" - which is the best news I could hear b/c it means she's happy and having a ball.

Anyway, I can't wait to hear how pref night goes, then bid day. I'm saying a lot of prayers that things go her way and she makes the best choice for herself - and keeping that pinot grigio cold to calm my nerves.

Ladybug 84 and VolMom, good luck to your girls tonight and tomorrow! They will be happy in any chapter at UT- can't wait to hear their results!

hey vol mom! part of your daughters disappointment i am sure was to lack of sleep! rest assured that if the three that she has left, are some of the ones that she didnt have a rec to yet- they obviously have gotten one for her! like some of the other posters have said before- some of the "larger" sororities had to make bigger cuts than some of the smaller ones, in an effort to "make everyone a little more equal". it does make the larger ones mad, but it is out of their control-panhellenic rules!
text her to keep her chin up and be positive during pref day! she is free to tell them that she loves them and hopes to be a part of them!
keep us posted! bring on the wine tonight-its going to be a long night for you! are you going to bid day? if it is where you can, i would-its a fun way to show support for your daughter!

Hey, Vols :)

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but does anyone here have experience with UTK Recruitment practices. My little on only received a preference invite to one (albeit her fave). I have heard that if you get invited to the preference round then you will also receive a bid. Is this accurate? Rush has changed so much in 20 years!

My rush experience at UTK is 20-plus years old! However, getting invited to preference is not a guarantee of a bid. Is she a legacy to her pref chapter? I know that if you're a Pi Phi legacy and you get invited to pref, you automatically get a bid, which I think is a good policy. I don't know if other NPC groups do the same. If her pref chapter's her fave, she needs to tell whoever prefs her exactly that.

Thanks, Silverblue. No, she is not a legacy to this particular group. But she told me today her Gamma Chi implied that receiving an invite for today indicates she'd probably receive a bid.

Her Gamma Chi should not have said that. Do you know what quota is? I haven't heard yet. I'd say she should be cautiously optimistic, and I certainly hope you have good news for us tomorrow.

I hope so, too. It has not gone as I had hoped. Things have changed so much since I was in college. I pretty much 'encouraged' her to do this, but it has been really stressful for her. And by extension, myself. I do not know what quota is. I asked her - she did not know. I wish there was a way to find out.

There are a couple of UTK women here more in the loop than I am. I'm sure they'll tell us as soon as they know.

Rush is incredibly stressful, and UTK was competitive even when I was there. I was thinking this week how glad I am that I'm not going through it again! I'm sure your daughter's Gamma Chi said that because she likes your daughter and wants her to be happy tomorrow. Please let us know what happens. I think it's harder on the mothers than the daughters!

Leave it at "it's a very positive sign but not a guarantee."

I just got off the phone with her. She seems very pleased and said that she really felt 'good vibes' from the chapter. Good luck to everyone. And thank you girls for your comments :)

Now go eat some chocolate.

I can't! I'm on a diet. But I am going to have a beer :)

If she maximizes her options I think you can be cautiously optimistic- go have more than one beer and try to get some sleep tonight-

I have not heard what quota is but the number of pnms is down this year, so I am expecting quota to be in the low 40s. If I hear anything tonight I will post it.

Good luck to all of the pnms and chapters at UT!

Thanks, formerlurker :) Although, it is hard to maximize your options when you only have one --- but it is the one she wants, so I really hope they feel the same about her. But she is my kid. I think anyone would be nuts not to want her :)

hey AOpi mommy- i am sorry to say that being invited to pref day definately does NOT guarantee a bid! her gamma chi should not of said that. the bigger houses at UT can invite 2x quota, and the smaller houses can invite up to 3x quota. with that being said- there will still be some girls left out. plus remember panhellenic makes them take a certain number of sophomores, even if the house likes a freshman better, their hands are tied and they have to make room in their quota for a certain number of sophomores! how did she feel after going to pref day? did her "same girl" take care of her at pref? Good Luck!

Hi AoPiMommy...vol_mom is correct. UTK has changed their recruitment practices as of 2 years ago, and as long as your daughter maximized her options and attended Pref (which she did), she WILL receive a bid tomorrow. Sending out best wishes to you, vol_mom and your daughters! Can't wait to hear where they end up!

Also another change at UTK...the upperclassmen quota is now totally separate from the freshman quota, so the number of sophomores going through will not adversely affect a freshman's chances.

Hello, volalum :) Thank you for your response. Yes, her 'same girl' took care of her tonight. They get along well, according to my daughter. I'm telling you -- I went through RUSH years ago, but I really don't recall it being so stressful. Of course, this was not at an SEC school. Is having the 'same girl' a good or bad thing? heheheh

I have been a bit disappointed these last days as she is a quadruple legacy and was released before skit round. 4.0 GPA, beaucoup HS activities, blah. I told her going in that this was not a guarantee. But I have to admit to being a bit sad about this.

kendr: I thank you for your reply as well. As soon as I know something tomorrow, I'll let you know.

Again, sorry for the hijack.....

kendr: Does UTK do SNAP bidding? Does that still even exist anymore?

I think UT does do snap bidding.

When I was there, there was no sophomore quota, and some chapters would take only freshmen.

AoPiMommy: HaHa...I went through RUSH years ago, too! And of course, cutting a legacy back in my day was practically unheard of, but a common practice now, especially at many of the SEC schools. I am sorry, though, I know it is disappointing. Still, though, am happy to hear that she is left with a favorite!

I think the fact that the 'same girl' took care of her is good because it means that she made a connection with someone and that person probably requested to have her during pref!

Snap bids do still exist, and chapters at UTK can snap if they do not make quota.

And it's a good thing the parties were this afternoon. It's been storming here for about the past hour.

Oh, no!!! No more rain there :) It has rain incessantly since I dropped her off last weekend. She has my hair which does not play well with humidity. :)

My stomach is in knots. She got one of her #1 choices, her #3 and her #4 for pref night. On her bid sheet (is that what you call it?) she listed #1, then #3 as her second choice, but told me that she just wouldn't be happy with #4 and didn't put them down at all. I hope that doesn't hurt her chances, but if she wouldn't be happy then she wouldn't be happy. She did tell the girl who pref-ed her at #1 (who she's also spoken with a couple of the other nights) that her group was where she wanted to be. It's out of her hands now, and I just pray that she doesn't get the dreaded phone call in the morning. My stress level is through the roof. Time to open the wine...