Texas A&M: To rush or not to rush?
 

I recently found out that BlinnTeam students are allowed to participate in rush this year. I was incredibly excited as being in a sorority is something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember. However, I know rush can be extremely competitive, and I am really concerned that I won't be given a bid because I am a BlinnTeam student. Also, I currently attend a really small private school, and I heard from someone that there is little hope for private school girls when going through rush. So, I'm beginning to wonder if it is worth it to put myself through recruitment if I am only going to be upset in the end. I'm also considering just waiting until my sophomore year to go through rush. Does anyone have any advice?

If you don't go through recruitment then you definitely won't be in a sorority--right? So why not take your chances and go through? You might get your feelings hurt, but you might also meet some wonderful friends, whether or not you get a bid. My advice would be the same as anyone going through recruitment: Be the best "you" that you can be. Be open minded to all the groups. Look at it as a chance to meet new people, regardless. Keep in mind that if you don't try then you definitely lose out on sorority membership. The rest is up to you!

^^What she said.

Since this is the first year that Blinn Team students are being allowed to rush, we (the world) doesn't know how it will be received to the sororities. Keep an open mind. Cuts may be heavy since you aren't taking all your classes at A&M.

The private school question is debatable. Two thoughts...one, if your school is more competitive, you're probably on BT because you're not in the top 10% of your class, but you are actually SUPER prepared for college. However, if you'd been at a huge high school, you might have been in the top 10% in a class full of less-academically prepared students. (This is all conjecture, since I don't really know you). Private school students DO, however, regularly pledge all groups at A&M.

My advice is to go through...you won't know until you try.

If one more person says "I have heard" I'm going to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell me where you read in on the A & M web site under sorority recruitment. Oh, it's not there!

Are you asking about hearing about Blinn Team students being able to rush this year? Our APH said that they were letting them, so yes...I "heard" it...but it came from a pretty reliable source, IMHO.

Actually...it DOES say it on A&M Panhellenic's website:

http://stuorg-sites.tamu.edu/~cpc/node/56

Must be a full time student (taking at least 12 hours in the fall semester). Gateway students are permitted to participate in recruitment if they are fully accepted to Texas A&M for the fall. Blinn Team students may participate in recruitment this fall.

It remains to be seen how the chapters react - but I know for a fact that some are entirely open to the idea of Blinn Team pnms.

I am talking about her comment about private school girls.

Gotcha - thanks for the clarification. There's been some confusion and misinformation on the BT issue since it's new.

I'm sure they are open to it or the A&M Panhellenic wouldn't have put it into play as an option.

How does Blinn Team work? Is it like being wait listed for admission to A&M?

http://blinnteam.tamu.edu

The Texas A&M Blinn TEAM (“Transfer Enrollment at A&M”) Program is a collaborative, coenrollment partnership between a major university (Texas A&M) and a community college (Blinn College). Each year since 2001 this pioneering initiative has allowed the admission of hundreds of additional qualified students into the Texas A&M freshman class that would have otherwise not been possible due to enrollment limitations.

Participating students are initially admitted to Texas A&M University on a part-time basis, and may earn full admission by several methods. Blinn TEAM students are enrolled in one academic course at Texas A&M each semester, and the remainder of their courses at the Bryan Campus of Blinn College. Students who complete 45 Blinn credit hours and 15 A&M credit hours within a two-year period, while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average at each school, are automatically admitted to Texas A&M. TEAM students who wish to transition to A&M sooner may compete for transfer admission when they meet transfer eligibility. Finally, students who do not transition by the aforementioned methods do not immediately matriculate, but may become eligible for future admission as returning former students via the university’s readmission process (subject to current readmission criteria).

Blinn TEAM students benefit from enrollment at both institutions; students enjoy the university experience afforded by Texas A&M (such as residence hall life, sports events, and a huge range of student activities), while enjoying the smaller classroom environments and costs of Blinn College. Academic advisors, faculty, and staff at both schools facilitate TEAM student successes. TEAM was the first program in Texas to connect a junior and senior institution in exactly this way.

So many questions....

1. How far is Blinn from A& M in terms of mileage?

2. If you're only allowed to take one class per semester at A & M, and assuming 3 credit classes, how can you finish 15 credits in 2 years?

3. Can you get a degree from Blinn? What if people change their mind and decide they just want to stay there?

Thanks for all of the help. Does anyone know why they suddenly decided to let BlinnTeam girls go through rush?

The two have been tightly aligned for several year - it's been a way to him raise enrollment at A&M without changing traditional admission standards. It's a dual enrollment program and there is much crossover in other areas of student life so this eliminates having Blinn students living side-by-side with A&M students but missing other activities. Other universities with these types of transitional enrollment/admissions programs are allowing students to participate in recruitment (UC Berkeley, for example).

The majority of chapters approving it is not the same thing as all the chapters regarding the BT pnms on an even footing with A&M pnms. I would hope that would not be a problem, but have heard some rumblings. My hope is that it will work for the benefit of the chapters and the BT pnms.

Since NPC says you have to be enrolled full time at the institution where the chapters are, how does this impact the chapters' ability to pledge the woman? In other words, being allowed to participate in recruitment may not = being allowed to pledge.

About 3-4 miles, I think?

I think with Summer School, etc...?

Not sure, pretty sure it used to just be a 2 year jr. college back in the day, but now I'm not entirely sure.

Agreed. I think everyone thinks it makes sense and talks a great game, but for reasons Tichou mentions below, I can see how it might become an issue for some of the chapters.

Exactly. This is why there are so many unknowns at this point. Will be interesting to see if A&M publishes some sort of pledge percentage of BT ladies. My understanding is that BT ladies ARE considered A&M students, so as a technicality, they are able to rush/pledge...?? Someone who understands the intricacies of the BT program can probably explain better

It's a junior college, so only 2-year degrees

FYI - UT-Austin is doing something similar with their PACE program (students are enrolled at Austin Community College). On the UT Panhellenic website, it is mentioned that PACE students can participate in Sorority Recruitment. So, it appears that this might become more common in the future with various schools.

Where is this coming from is probably the most important question to be answered to ascertain how this will be received.

It is my understanding that the University asked that the restrictions be lifted.

UT lifted their restrictions last year so it was inevitable and not if but when A&M would follow suit.

How the chapters receive these girls is in the hands of membership selection process of individual chapters
My thoughts are that it is going to take a while.

Students from private schools (like the OP), as well as competitive suburban high schools, where it is very tough to get into the top X%, are overrepresented in the Blinn Team group. The university is more or less saying that it believes they are A&M material, and it would admit them if the law permitted it to. Putting them into university dorms says a lot about the university's confidence in them. It's not a typical community college population. Interesting program.

This is my hunch as well, but is it fact/documented anywhere?

It's what I was intimating in my initial post to the OP, but of course, I have no idea if she really falls into that category or not.

I recently spoke to someone in the greek life office on the phone who informed me that the decision to allow BT students to rush was just made on May 1st. Apparently there are some sororities that will not be allowed to accept blinnteam students because it states in their bylaws that the student has to be fully enrolled in the university. Any idea which sororities that might be? Also, would it hurt my chances to go through rush as a sophomore?

TXbelle13, no offense but you're going to be VERY recognizable with that information up--you may want to redact that to ensure your online security, etc. Many TX sorority women who are involved in the recruitment process are on here and will able to find you out from what you just said. Your decision, of course.
And we cannot comment on "your chances" individually-- membership selection is private, and kept strictly in house. Sophomores obviously only have three years of membership and as such are at a disadvantage over freshman who can contribute four years of time and dues. Someone from TX can comment more on that situation.

I looked it up to double check for the PACE program at UT, and while PACE women may go through recruitment at UT, some sororities will not be able to pledge them because of their national restrictions. The decisions are being made by the individual chapters. I would assume the same groups would do this for Blinn women at A&M. I would be prepared for heavy cuts - as if you were a grade risk (which I believe is one of the concerns?).

This is my understanding as well. It's definitely a gray area that has become potentially black & white due to some national restrictions/bylaws/etc...

WARNING: HUGE GENERALIZATION FOR PURPOSES OF EXAMPLE AHEAD...

What I mean by that is that you have Person A who went to uber-competitive small private high school and is in the top 20% of a class of geniuses, but doesn't get into A&M or UT in the traditional way because of it. Person B goes to Podunk High, in a class of 300 that only 1/3 is headed to any sort of higher education. Person B is in the top 5% of her class, gets into A&M & UT in the traditional manner, but really may not be fully prepared to be in an academically tough environment.

The argument to be made is that Person A might be on Blinn Team (or PACE) AND completely ready for competitive higher education, as well as the demand of a sorority, is well-liked, well-rounded, great recs etc... But, because of individual group rules/bylaws, may not be able to receive a bid. Panhellenic is letting them go through, but the groups themselves will have to make the decisions as to whether or not they can extend them an invitation or eventually a bid.

Will be interesting to see how it shakes out this year.

Yes. This would seem to be another unintended consequence of Bush's 10% rule (now 8%) that was to help students from underrepresented groups and rural areas get in to the top schools in Texas. On the one hand it has made for a more diverse student body and has really helped continue to grow the program. On the other hand, some of these students will struggle with the rigors of a huge university and grade inflation is running rampant at schools that historically would have sent more students to UT or A&M.

(Meanwhile, Bama, Auburn, and U.Ark. are happily accepting the students from the 9-10% from those top uber competitive schools.... :cool:)

If that's the case then I think those sororities should have to disclose that they can't pledge these women. That's not membership selection, that's a hard and fast rule (like you can't pledge if you're a dude).

If this is a NPC rule, how could a Blinn Team PNM pledge any chapter? Can the national/international group have rules that contradict NPC rules?

If certain groups are unable to pledge these women due to national rules, then why should they even attend their parties?
Why waste anyone's time; the chapter and the PNM's?
It seems unfair for a PNM to visit a chapter that she will not be able to join due to her status. Not that it doesn't happen with grade cuts, but this is pretty outright.

The University determines who is enrolled properly. The individual group determine all other requirements.

Yes. Don't forget OU, LSU, and Ole Miss.

The schools have more or less invented a new category of student here. Are they full-time enrolled undergraduates? Kinda. At least, there's an argument for treating them that way.

What Texas is doing is unique AFAIK. Montana State also allows students enrolled in its junior college to live in MSU housing, use student services, etc., but I don't think they've made a path to Greek life.

What Titchou said. My understanding (and I really could be wrong, because it is such a different program & it is being looked at from all angles) is that they ARE, in fact, considered full A&M students, just taking some/most of their prerequisite courses at Blinn. Which is why they are allowed A&M housing, etc... But the PERCEPTION is that they aren't "real" A&M students. Someone who knows the intricacies of the BT program can/should speak to this more clearly than I have...

I'm not sure anyone knows for sure if/which groups are acting as if they can't take BT groups in a black & white manner. Since the argument can be made either way (are they full-time A&M students? Are they not?) then I think this year will be a learning curve for all groups with relationship to their nationals, the interpretation of the rules both nationally and locally, and taking a look at each candidate personally. In the example I gave earlier, I think a local chapter could make the argument to bid Person A.

I was wondering that too--and also wondering if they had a local (or locals) that were associate members of the college panhellenic council that perhaps did not have to follow the NPC rule on that? Just a thought.

No...there aren't...they are all NPC http://cpc.tamu.edu/sororities

OOPS Didn't see that last one! So I'm an idiot, and missed Zeta Beta Sigma! Maybe that's what's driving it?

Sorry for double-post I never knew ZBS existed (and it's logo is not inline or in color with the others, so I never noticed it on their website)! Interesting!

I am a NPC member in an area of Texas where as many kids go to A&M as Blinn due to the competitive nature of our local 5A schools. For what it's worth, fraternities have been able to rush and pledge Blinn Team guys but until now, sororities were not able to. I think that is why sophomore quotas came in to play at A&M and UT and a few other schools followed suit. That change caused many questions, issues, opinions as this will but it has been more positive than negative once people got used to the idea. It will be the same way here. For the most part, Blinn Team students ARE considered a part of A&M. To answer the OP question, I think it's worth it to go through recruitment provided you are able to get references lined up and you have a solid GPA. At the very least, you will meet many girls (PNM's and members) and get to have an inside look at Greek life at A&M. Since we don't know how the week will really play out since this is new to everyone, you can make your decision whether or not to pursue it after you see who invites you back. It's the old cliche "you won't know unless you try"....and who knows, you just might find your sisters!

Zeta Beta Sigma is a Jewish interest sorority which has been on A&M's campus for several years. They are an affiliate member of panhellenic. The have been approved by the collegiate panhellenic to seek NPC affiliation. This is in the early stages.