Oklahoma State University Fall 2012 Recruitment
 

Oklahoma State University Fall Recruitment

http://union.okstate.edu/panhellenic/FFRecruitment.htm

To register for fall recruitment, click here:
https://secureapp.icsrecruiter.com/I...spx?UID=OKSTUN

“Below is the Tentative 2012 Schedule"

Sun, Aug. 5, 2012*** Check-In and Event Round One (Open House Day 1)
Mon, Aug. 6, 2012*** Event Round One (Open House Day 2)
Tues, Aug. 7, 2012*** Event Round One (House Tour/Philanthropy Day 1)
Wed, Aug. 8, 2012*** Event Round Two (House Tour/Philanthroy Day 2)
Thurs, Aug. 9, 2012*** Event Round Three (Skit Round)
Fri, Aug. 10, 2012*** Event Round Four (Preference Round)
Sat, Aug. 11, 2012*** Bid Day

Boy, I hate when Panhellenics state that on their webpages. Oklahoma State PNMs, believe that you do not need recommendations AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I searched this website and googled "Oklahoma State University or OSU Greekchat". There's some information about OSU recruitment but not a lot of volume. I've been told from a few alumna that recruitment at OSU is not as competitive as the SEC but it's getting more competitive as PNMs from Texas and other states in the region look to OSU.

I have 90% of my recs, I've had several conversations with different alumnae regarding recruitment, Greek life, etc. I have a well-rounded resume (grades, extracurriculars, leadership, volunteer service) so I feel as prepared as I can be. That said I'm still shaking in my Rainbows just a little. Does anybody have insight into recruitment at OSU?

Many, many sorority chapters at many, many colleges and universities expect to receive recommendations for all the PNMs that will be participating in recruitment-especially formal recruitment. The SEC does not have a monopoly on recommendation expectations, and assuming that since "your"(meaning all PNMs) school is not in the SEC, you don't need to make the effort to get recommendations to each of the sorority chapters at your school, is a risk.

Not receiving a recommendation on a PNM might impact her invitations to the next round of parties. One of the easiest cuts to make after grades, is not having a recommendation on a PNM, especially when a chapter is told by Panhellenic that they must cut "X" amount of PNMs after the first round of parties, when PNMs have had only 15 or 20 minutes to dazzle their recruitment hostesses at each house.

OP, would you consider editing your original post by removing the bolded editing that you did? Some OSU PNMs coming to this site for recruitment info., may see your post and think that the bolded sentences were done by OSU panhellenic.

My mom started out reading this forum and told me I needed to read it. We read the recs section and our conversation went like this:

Me: But they said I don't need them
Mom: Yes, you do. Didn't you read the forum?
Me: I read the school's website, it says I don't need them.
Mom: It says "it's not mandatory" so there's an unspoken rule that you probably need them
Me: But... (then a lot of back and forth with my mom)... Ok.

My mom basically said "better to be safe than sorry" and we've been tracking down recs for the last month. At first it's a little intimidating to ask for recs. I've been blown away by how kind and helpful people have been especially to a stranger.

The majority of Panhellenic women are glad to help and will even hook you up with friends of theirs who are members of other sororities, so don't hesitate to ask if they will write a rec. for you. If they don't think to ask if you have recommendations for each sorority on your campus, you might casually mention to them something to this effect: "Mrs. ____,
Thank you so much for writing a recommendation for me to ABC sorority. Even though I feel especially drawn to ABC because of their_____(philanthrophy, mascot, colors, GPA, Whatever), I have been working on getting recs. for all the sororities at OSU. Would you happen to know any women who are members of DEF, GHI, or KLM?

PS-Your mom is right. Just as Panhellenics cannot refuse a PNM with a 2.0 GPA from participating in recruitment, they are not going to declare that on their websites, due (as we learned a week or so ago on GC) to a NPC unanimous agreement, but those PNMs with a low GPA will have a rough time of it. Panhellenics also cannot make PNMS get recommendations, anymore than they can make a PNM wear tasteful, appropriate clothes each day of recruitment, but again, at a lot of schools, those PNMs without recommendations(or not dressed appropriately) will have a rough time.

I lived in Tulsa, Ok about 17 years ago, and was an advisor to the ZTA chapter at OSU. It was a pretty competitive recruitment back then-I cannot imagine that it has changed, except to have become more competitive, but that is my speculation, not a fact.

I copied that directly from the OSU panhellenic website (they bolded it) which is why there was so much debate in the wcjane household initially. I saw your quote of my OP and I have no idea how that was bolded. Note to self becareful with copy and paste.

Trust me.....you need recs at Oklahoma State U.

They would have been OK if they would have skipped the second sentence. Saying it won't affect someone's rush is just as much treading on individual groups' membership selection policies/procedures as saying recs are mandatory would be.

They should have started with the first sentence, and then said "HOWEVER, if you do choose to secure your own recs, yadda yadda yadda." I would think that people would assume that the fact they spend a whole paragraph on it means it is something you should do.

I definitely believe you and I removed the "recs" section from my original post.

Sorry if this question was already answered somehwere, but why does panhellenic tell PNM's that rec's are not required when a lot of times they are? This is the case at Alabama as well, I remember at the information session at panhellenic preview weekend they told us that "recs are like extra credit, if you have them great, if not it's fine" It just seems very misleading, especially to PNM's who don't have a lot of prior knowledge about the greek system

Second this!

NPC recruitment is essentially like applying for any highly desired/competitive job or college; sure you can apply with the bare minimum of qualifications; but if you want a legitimate chance of getting in you will need to have checked off every item on the list as well as be outstanding. And even then, you're competing against other applicants just as outstanding as you are.

WCJane, Please let us know how everything works out. Good luck!

Because Panhellenic can not say for certain what the selection requirements are for each individual GLO. Membership selection is not discussed openly.

And I suppose the phrasing is a result of PC/egalitarian requirement in this day and age

And technically at the end of the day it IS the GLO's responsibility if their policy requires a Rec to bid a PNM. HOWEVER due to the volume of PNMs this is not logistically likely, unless you happened to be the state governor's daughter, or an olympic athlete or some ultra-amazing-once-in-a-generation rush crush. And even then you should probably get your recs in.

Perhaps it is because ultimately each sorority has their own membership criteria and their own rules for membership selection, and Panhellenic cannot encroach on that, and sororities do not have to divulge how they go about choosing their members. And theoretically, Panhellenic does not require recommendations from a PNM for her to participate in recruitment, anymore than it sets a certain GPA to participate. That is each sorority's realm.

That makes sense I guess, luckily I always do my research on these type of things, but I know there's many PNMs who don't understand the importance of having recs. Thanks for the answers

This with Bold for emphasis!

You can participate without a rec but the likelihood of getting a bid is a whole other matter

Thank you very much and I will. If you don't hear back from me it means I didn't get a bid and I may be drowning my sorrows in ice cream and chocolate.

I am a graduate of Oklahoma State and an adviser. You need recs. Period.

Thanks Irishpipes-I was hoping you would be able to join in the discussion.

Something else I just thought about, It would behoove all PNMs at any school to explore each chapter's website at their school. Most often, if you look under the "recruitment" link on ABC sorority's website at University of State, and they have a statement somewhere on there about where to mail recommendations or provide a link where alumnae can access recommendation forms, you need them. That is not to say that you don't if none of the chapters at your school list an address for recs. To the BamaPM, I have seen chapters at Bama list the address to send recs.-perhaps it is their way of counteracting the political correctness of Panhellenic?

Yes the chapters each make the address for recs readily available, also when we visited the houses during preview weekend one of the chapters straight up told us that for their sorority a rec is required, so I thought that was a good thing for them to do. I mean if you look beyond what panhellenic says and do the slightest bit of research you can find out recs are necessary, however I know not all PNMs do their research. For many girls I think the scenario is that they can find 10 alumnae willing to do a rec but have a hard time finding the other 6, so since panhellenic says they aren't required they ignore those 6 thinking it wont ruin their chances.

Well, it is good that you are in the know! Good luck to you-please let us hear from you.

Thank you very much! I will make sure to keep all of you helpful people updated!!

Short and sweet. Thank you.

My daughter will be a PNM this fall. She is coming from out of state, and intends to have recs for all 12 houses. She knows only one girl in one house, where she is a legacy. She has a good resume, and will be using her GPA from jr college summer school, because it is higher than high school. Any tips on how to have the best week possible without having any connections in any of the houses?

She should put her best foot forward, appear interested in all the sororities and roll with the punches. We usually get to see the bid lists (I think they are published in the Stillwater paper and someone kindly posts them on GC) and it looks like out of state girls do alright.

Someone (perhaps 33girl) gave a wonderful piece of advice to a PNM who has not having as fabulous recruitment as she thought she should have been. 33 said that when she gets her party list everyday, she needs to reassess and chose a favorite from her list-there is no need to mourn the fact that her previous favorite had not invited her back. It's a new day, with a new list, new possibilities and (hopefully) a new favorite.

I copied and pasted the list, did a pivot table and:

OK - 453
TX - 220
KS - 22
AR - 10
MO - 10
IL - 5
CA - 4
CO - 3
NM - 3
AZ - 2
IN - 2
KY - 2
PA - 2
AL - 1
FL - 1
GA - 1
MA - 1
NE - 1
SC - 1
TN - 1

It's a good thing my daughter already knows I'm a little OCD because this would embarrass her. (I'm going to delete my Internet history after this.)

It's okay, you're not the first to do it, and won't be the last. Pretty much any time a big SEC school puts up a bid list, someone crunches the numbers.

Thanks SoCal and FSUZeta. This helps a lot.

Are you certain this will be allowed? All of the schools I am familiar with require the high school GPA of incoming freshman. I would hate for her to be in a situation where the stated GPA on her application does not jibe with what's provided by the school or in her recommendations. Frankly, it also makes her look like she's trying to hide something.

If she went to junior college, I would assume that's her "college GPA" and supercedes her high school GPA - no matter which one is higher.

So a humdrum GPA high school GPA can be completely obliterated by a couple of underwater basket weaving classes taken at the local community college that summer?

That's not the case at the schools where I've advised. They didn't even allow second semester summer school grades taken there or at a CC count towards the GPA.

She doesn't say whether her daughter is a Freshman but if I'm reading between the lines (daughter is a freshman and took summer school) I agree with Greek_or_Greek. I believe those grades go to the college as credits only she has no university GPA so the HS transcripts is all we have to verify GPA. It might also depend on how many credits she took. I'm thinking the dd might have a low GPA and this was the way they were going to get around that by the dd taking summer school and doing well. Probably not a bad idea but I don't think it is going to work at a competitive school where they have tons of qualified high GPA girls going through.

The best bet would be to ask the Greek Life office at the college where the PNM will be rushing.

OSU recruitment follows the classification status as set up by the universtiy office of admissions. If you are attending in the fall and just graduated high school and have duel credit or some junior college you would be classified as an incoming freshman with some college and both GPA's will be required on the recruitment application.

Any advice on appropriate attire for Pref? On some threads I see recommendations to wear a black dress, but not sure if this applies at OSU. She is a huge Lilly Pulitzer fan, but I'm not sure if that is dressy enough.

Lilly would be more appropriate for earlier rounds. You can never go wrong with a "little black dress".(The figurative concept of the LDB, not the literal).
This comes in a myriad of colors(from J Crew):

http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category...5118/65118.jsp

OSU uses GPA from core courses. Does anybody know if that's weighted or unweighted? I'll call tomorrow and ask but since I'm here I thought I'd ask.

It is unweighted. What qualifies as honors varies greatly among schools, so this is meant to level the field.

Thank you. It varied greatly among the teachers at my school too.