Daughter going through Mizzou rush 2014
 

Hello all

My daughter is in the second round of Mizzou rush right now. I think this is more stress inducing for me as a Mom than it ever was when I was rushing myself! I'm a Mizzou alum and so she's a legacy at one of the sororities there. After one round my sorority is her first choice and they've asked her back (hooray). She also has several other houses she's really liking so we will see how she feels after she finishes 2nd round today. Wow it is competitive this year! Almost 2,000 girls. Crazy! My parents weren't Greek so I was pretty oblivious/unattached when I went through rush, which was probably good. She has an open mind though--she likes several houses so I hope she finds her perfect home, whether or not it is my old house.

Good luck to everyone who has kids going through recruitment this year, and good luck to all of the houses looking for great new pledges!

Sincerely,

"Walk in the Woods"

Were the cuts heavy after first round?

yes I heard the cuts were heavy. Some girls went back to 11 houses, but I think they were in the very small minority. That is all anecdotal though, based on conversations with our daughter and other moms. My daughter went back to quite a few houses but not 11. Some girls only got invited back to 2 or 3 houses. I haven't heard a number re: how many have been released or dropped out at this point.

Thank you for the update and my very best wishes to your daughter! Please keep us posted on how it's going for her and her friends.

I can sympathize, I graduated from Northwestern, and was Greek, but it was a whole different story there 25 years ago. I was clueless during rush and luckily ended up in the perfect house for me. My daughter is also going through Mizzou rush, I've tried to tell her what I remember, but SEC rush is an entirely different animal. Greek life is not popular in our home state and almost nonexistent at the large puplic university that most of her friends are going to, so she is blazing this trail alone, Good luck to your daughter, Walkinthewoods, hopefully neither of us will have to pick up the pieces on Sunday! :)

Thanks for the good wishes NUalumMUmom and ZTA1550! I too hope we aren't picking up the pieces on Sunday! One thing I have noticed is that the structure is very different from when we rushed in that the girls keep going back to a larger # of houses than we did (we went right from 16 to 8, then 5, then 3. These girls go from 15 to 11, then to 7, then 5? then 3. What that means is that some girls keep going back to houses they may not be super excited about. Hopefully that encourages the girls to take a second (or third) look at houses that they my not have considered at first. Our daughter was pretty open minded going in but I know that a lot of girls are very set on one house or a very few before they even set foot on campus. NUalumMUmom, how is your daughter finding the process so far? I'm hoping ours enjoys today. Yesterday she had some houses she really liked as well as some where she just didn't feel comfortable at all. The girls were nice at all the houses but of course each of them have a different vibe. I keep encouraging her to look for things in common with people and if she is at a house she doesn't see herself pledging, to remember that she might still end up with friends there, or end up working with them in some organization. And, it's all good practice for life and career--and who knows how her mind may change as she goes through the week and meets more girls at each house.

Good luck to your daughter, too, NUalumMUmom!

Well, my daughter is doing well so far. She went back to 11 houses including the 3 she liked the best in round 2, we did not have any recs, because I was clueless, it wasn't a big deal at NU, I even had an friend who graduated from MU offer to write one last Fall, but I thought, well you don't even know my daughter, IDIOT! I'm kicking myself now. My sorority doesn't have a chapter at MU, so she is truly on her own. She was exhausted and overwhelmed after round 1, voice gone, but still has a great attitude. She and her roommate are interested in totally different houses, which I think is good. I keep telling her don't get attached to one or two houses yet, because if you get cut from them it will sour you to the whole process and you may overlook the place you really belong. She had 8 socials yesterday, which was brutal, but only 3 today, so I hope she can recharge her batteries a little before round 3.

NUalumMUmom congrats to your daughter on being asked back to so many houses! Good for her! Please know that your friend can STILL write a last minute rec for your daughter. It's not too late! I have a sorority sister doing that for another friend right now.

Thanks for the tip! Hope your daughter has a good day today, too!

Good Luck to NUalumMUmom and WalkintheWoods daughters!! I hope they have a good experience. I've been tracking the weather and it looks HOT. I know 5 girls going through this year. Haven't heard any updates on them. NUalumMUmom, I can relate to your story. My daughter went through recruitment at Iowa 2 years ago. I'm from the East Coast and was in a sorority 30+ years ago, so I was clueless too. She was very open-minded and had a great recruitment. She's a very happy Theta right now and has been a leader in her chapter. I wish the same for your daughter and WalkintheWoods' daughter!

Thanks for the good wishes pearlalum! You're right it is brutally hot in Columbia right now! Summer had been unseasonably cool in Missouri until this week--I think it is supposed to get hotter each day. I hope the girls are all staying hydrated! It's great to hear that your daughter is loving Theta at Iowa. I do think that having an open mind through the process helps immensely.

Thanks pearlalum! I actually lived in Iowa City for 4 years during my residency and loved it. I'm an alum of 3 Big Ten schools and of course my daughter goes to Missouri, a school where we don't know a soul. It will be blistering hot the next few days, but she wanted to escape the Midwest winters. She seems really upbeat, but grounded about the rush process and knows she may not get her first or even her 5th choice. I think she's keeping her mind open for now. I don't think she realizes how much networking goes on behind the scenes, but right now that is probably a good thing. We will see how it plays out over the next few days. :0

Good luck to all these girls! One thing to remember is to look around at the fellow PNM's at the parties. Those are the girls that will be pledge sisters and peers.
Hoping they don't melt as the temps are crazy and it will be hard to be cheery in the heat! It really only does take one to see something great in each girl!

mumom that is a great tip especially as pref day approaches! I will pass that along thank you b

Thinking good thoughts!

Round two of Mizzou recruitment is done for the PNMs, hooray!

I'm sure everyone is tired and hot and the PNMs are looking forward to relaxing a bit tonight before finding out tomorrow morning which houses they will be visiting. Of course, it will be a long night for the actives, sorting through all of the people they've seen the last two days! I hope the houses are all feeling great about welcoming some wonderful new young women.

I'm happy to say that my daughter had a good day. She felt really comfortable and happy, especially in two of the houses from today, Athena and Freya. She also liked Kwan Yin (in case you missed my earlier post, I've pulled female figures from mythology at random to represent the houses that are her five favorites at this point). It was really fun to hear how much she loved Freya, since she connected with them much more this time. I love when that happens--that's why recruitment is several rounds long!

Excited (and of course a bit nervous) to hear where she will be returning tomorrow. I'm sure all the Moms on here want for our daughters what we had--a place where they can continue to discover who they are in a supportive and stimulating environment where they will develop lifelong friendships!

Would love to hear how others who have daughters going through are feeling about the process. It's much harder as a Mom, don't you think?

Thinking lots of positive thoughts for the moms and the PNMs! It IS hot, but at least everyone is in the same boat. My best advice is for them to stick it out! Some houses will be expected to release hundreds of PNMs tonight. Lots of women drop out at that point, which breaks my heart. There is not a single bad house here and the entire system is strong. Too many women regret dropping out after it's too late. Focus on the houses who invite you each day, not the other houses. I know that seems easy to say, but I promise it is a great system, and every house has something amazing to offer.

My daughter visited 2 today and 2 yesterday. She was cut heavily after first round, but has liked what she has seen at the houses that have kept her - I think 2 more than others. Hoping she keeps all. She is a transfer, so that may have factored into initial cuts, though has a very good GPA. I am drinking some wine tonight, as I do believe it is just as hard on the Moms ;-)

My daughter had a good day, too, just HOT!! Two of the houses she liked best in the first round continued to impress, but one was just okay, Overall she is still really interested in that house. We had a frank conversation tonight about the heavy cuts that are likely after this round, especially for an out of state girl with no connections, and she seems ready for whatever comes. I hope so, we live 450 miles away, so there is no coming home to have a good cry if this doesn't work out. So to NorthernMom, I raise my glass to you! Clink!

Good luck and good thoughts for your girls!

Good luck to all the PNMs tonight! Sleep well Moms and daughters!

Quick update: no phone call this morning for daughter or roommate!! Life is good!

It's really hard not to take those cuts to heart, but no one should take them to heart. You can only get one bid, so you only need ONE chapter where you fit. If a particular group isn't taking transfers or jocks or dance team members or whatever, it's better to know you are not a fit for them early rather than later. (Their loss. :p)

Yay! Have a great day!

Fingers crossed for a great day today!

Hope all your daughters have a great Round 3!!!!

Well, daughter has 6, including 2 she really likes, but cut from 3 she really liked, so a little bummed. Mostly she is worried about 6 socials in a row in the blazing heat and not being able to keep her energy up at all the houses, her favorites are in the middle. I stressed how competitive this is and that she is lucky to have six and that she should really look for people she likes in every house, because they obviously see something in her that they like. I just hope she isn't a puddle of sweat by the end of the day

That's wonderful!

Tell her to give the other 4 a second (or third) look. Sometimes first impressions change.

I hope it's going to cool off, but I doubt it. Weather channel says 98F today, 99F tomorrow and 98F on Sunday. At least everyone is in the same (sweaty) boat. It kind of sucks, because the rest of this summer has been so beautiful.

I just love your attitude, NUalumMUmom! It's so nice to see how encouraging and realistic you seem to be, instead of questioning the process or making assumptions. I wish your daughter the best of luck!

Hello everyone! Exciting about your daughter NUalumMUmom--she is really fortunate to be going back to 6 houses today! Best of luck to her dealing with the heat and exhaustion. It sounds like she has a great head on her shoulders and you are giving her such good advice. Good luck to her!

My daughter is also happy and nervous--extremely emotional today (not like her at all, typically). She's visiting 5 houses today. She was cut by a few houses from yesterday, including one she really loved. She is feeling fortunate to be going back to her two favorite houses today and she knows there are no guarantees. She is also liking another house that wasn't originally on her radar more and more, which is great.

I feel optimistic for her and have also had some very forthright talks about what will happen if she does not get a bid from her favorite house, or any of her favorites, or a bid at all. Reassuring her that no matter what happens, she will thrive at school and that all is well. She has met some great girls through this experience and I'm sure she will have some friends in the houses, whether she ends up in one or not.

Oh, the emotions! I feel like I'm going through rush again myself and I have to keep reminding myself that this is HER process and just listen and be supportive. And not get caught up in my own stuff.

I'm not getting any work done this week, at all.

Good luck to all of the PNMs, and the houses, and hang in there Moms!

WalkintheWoods and NUalumMUmom - you are both giving your daughters good advice. The greek system at Mizzou is very strong and there are SO MANY great chapters. I think when my daughter went through it was definitely harder on me than when I went through myself! Keep the faith and have a nice glass of wine.

Been there....
 

My daughter went through recruitment several years ago at Mizzou and I am proud to say she is now one of your daughters Pi Chi. PLEASE encourage your daughter to stick with it! I oh so much remember the tears, disappointment, self doubt like it was yesterday. She too was cut from what she thought were her favorites and on blind faith took a bid from a house that IS not top tier! is not all Homecoming queens, etc ( you get my point). What she did get was a large group of terrific friends and sisters that have supported her, loved her, accepted her and pushed into the incredible woman she is today. My daughter was an officer, active in many, many Mizzou organizations, thrived academically and now stands before your daughter to encourage her to let the system work. Every house has a tremendous amount to offer and my daughter choose to take advantage of this opportunity to grow. Most of greek town supports each other and my daughter has friends and roommates from many sororities. Good luck and please encourage her to join ANY of the wonderful groups of woman at MIZZOU.

Ivy girl thanks for the encouragement! This is great advice!

Thanks to all who have shared their encouragement. My daughter took some time today to walk her class schedule and get to know Columbia a little better, she really needed a little time to herself to settle into campus and get out of the pressure cooker. She is getting more nervous now that she is back at the dorm with all the other PMNs and all the talk. She is really in love with one house, and is trying desperately to not get her heart set on it. Of the six houses she visited today, she feels she would be happy in 5 of them, so I am hoping that 3 of those 5 invite her back. Tonight was her high school's first football game of the year, so a lot of her friends were tweeting about the game and posting pictures of her former dance team performing, so a little home sickness may be in play, too. Most of her classmates are still at home, as many of our universities do not start classes until after Labor Day. She is not one to dwell on things, so hopefully she will get some sleep tonight and wake up to good news in the morning. Hopefully all our girls will have good news! I remember preference parties as so meaningful and moving, are they still like that these days? Should I tell her to pack some tissues and wear the waterproof mascara? Have a good night all!

What time are invites issued tomorrow?

Mine is still hanging in there, though feeling a bit disheartened. She still has a favorite left. But it's tough to keep getting cut and not take it personally. Hoping for good news in the morning.

Keeping your daughters in my prayers, NorthernMom, WalkintheWoods and NUalumMUmom!

Hi everyone

Pineapple, their meeting is at 8am today.

ZTA1550 thanks so much for the prayers! I too have been praying for all of the girls going through rush. What an intense time.

NorthernMom I agree--so hard not to take the cuts personally. Fingers crossed for all of our girls that they go to houses today where they will have meaningful experiences.

NUalumMUmom, our daughter also took some much needed time to herself yesterday. I think it is very important for them to remember, regardless of the outcome, that they have lots of different opportunities to connect with people and ways to be part of the MU community.

Thinking good thoughts for all of our precious girls! This foray into adulthood is a tough one and I trust that it will bring blessings for all of them, whatever happens.

Peace!

2 of her suitemates got the call. They each had 2 left as of yesterday. I only met them for a very short time, but they seemed like lovely girls. I thought, if you weren't dropped early on for grades or something like that, and followed the process you'd be matched. I guess this is very confusing for me.