Can graduate students rush?
 

Hi all,

My biggest regret of UG is that I was never able to rush. I did get a chance to go to an interest meeting and really loved getting to know the different chapters. Anyhow, I've graduated and decided to go to a school closer to home for my graduate work. Since I'm still so young and really want this opportunity, I thought I would write and ask if graduate students are allowed to rush. (I'm really interested in NPC sororities).

I have the contact # for my school's Greek Life office, but thought I would write here first to see if it's a possibility.

Thanks so much for your help!

I don't think you can rush for NPC sororities. I know that two allows grad students to remain active, but I don't know if they allow them to rush. However, some chapters of Alpha Phi Omega allows grad students to rush. That could be a nice alternative, depending on what you're looking for.

Well, although I'm not NPC...I think that there are a *few* that will allow graduate students to have collegiate standing, but you'd probably want to check the various national websites and you can get that from http://www3.telus.net/greek/.

however, you might want to look into Alumnae Initiation if the rushing route is closed to you and you're still interested, although it is a lot of work (but worth it!).

If there are local sororities, you mighthave to approach them on your own accord rather than through rush, as their rules of initiation and membership are probably different from the NPC sororities. I believe my local sorority has initiated graduate students before, but because our school doesnt have a huge graduate program, it's not "regular". We've had several older initiates in organizations here...one fraternity initiated 9 guys last year with an average age of 25. Most of them were exchange students and one was just an old fart coming back to get another degree (he's really nice though!).

Good luck!

Alpha Xi Delta allows graduate students to pledge, as does Phi Sigma Sigma (I believe). If you'll do a search, there's a thread on here that mentions some of the NPCs that allow graduate students to pledge.

Good luck!

The school I'm going to has some chapters that allow grads to rush, so that's a really great start! I'll check the board for that post you mentioned so I can find out about the other sororities at my school.

Thanks so much!

As far as I know, only AXiD and Phi Sig allow graduate students as members of the collegiate chapter.

Here's one of those threads. I know there's another one somewhere that I posted in...but this should help.

We had this come up on our campus and
 

We found that all NPC groups signed a non-discimination policy, which does state, among other things, they they do not discriminate based on age. We had a couple of grad students rush, and I think one pledged, though I'm not sure.

Re: We had this come up on our campus and
 

But that wouldn't really count as age...it's academic status.

One thing to keep in mind- just because a group CAN pledge a grad student doesn't mean they WILL. I hate to bring in the "southern" rush thing, but we know how it can be :rolleyes:

Exactly. Individual chapters can have different policies. For instance, the Phi Mu chapter at Indiana would only pledge freshmen...no sophomores, juniors or seniors. Same with three others (Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma and I forgot the other) I think part of the reason is that these chapters required sisters to live in the house for three years. It was much rarer for houses to pledge sophomores, though it happened. If you were a junior or above you were pretty much out of luck, since only two or three houses took upperclassmen. Granted, this was in 1993 so things could have changed since then.

At other campuses, upperclassmen are welcome to pledge, and some systems have a certain amount of upperclassmen that can pledge without counting towards quota. It all depends. Check with the Greek system on your campus...that's the best answer I can give.

My chapter of Alpha Phi Omega pledged grad and nontraditional students...in fact the president of my pledge class was a married grad student.

Thanks for all of the great input! I've already contacted my school's Greek Life office. From there I'll be able to find out more about each chapter's policy.

Thanks again!

Good luck!

Hello_
I don't know if this helps; but if you do not have the option of actually going through recruitment, several sororities allow alumnae intiates. At my chapter, we had one last year that was the mother of a current member; but, they go through intiation and they would be allowed to attend any chapter sponsored event (ex. philanthropy or formals) without being required to attend events (such as philanthropies). Its usually someone who is the mother/sister/friend of an already intiated member or someone who has contriubuted to the organization. But ask around, you never know!

Even if the groups technically allow it, the chapter might have never done it or not be open to the possiblity. If it's a competitive school, then you have a much smaller chance of getting a bid even if you are allowed to rush. My suggestion would be to contact the Greek Life office at your school and get the official information from them. Good luck!

That's definitely something to consider. I'm going to a fairly large state university. However, it's mainly commuter and has a relatively small Greek life.

Your assertion about the Phi Mu chapter at IU is not correct now or in 1993 (I was chapter development adviser when the house was built). There are not restrictions - ever - on the "status" of a potential member to be pledged. "Living In" is a consideration, but exceptions are always a possibility and taken case by case. As with other GLOs I am sure, the quality of the potential new member is the most important consideration.

I got that information out of the rush book I got when I signed up. (the book gave some info about the sororities, dues and room and board costs, minimum GPA for each house and if they would take sophomores, juniors or seniors.) It sounds like there was wrong information given in that book. I wish I knew what I did with it so I could know for sure which were the houses that didn't take upperclassmen. (I know there were four houses that said they didn't take anyone over freshmen and I know for sure Alpha Phi and Delta Gamma were two of them. Phi Mu sticks out in my mind because I remember I really liked them and thought it was a shame I had no chance to get to the second round since I was a sophomore!) For the record, the year in school issue was not brought up at any of the parties (I certainly wasn't going to say "I read you don't take sophomores. Is that true?" ;) )and I was not treated differently at all at the houses that didn't take sophomores and above when they found out what year I was. Maybe none of it was as black and white as the book made it sound! :)

I would love to see a current IU recruitment book.

I believe that the poster is looking for active membership, not alumnae membership. AI and active membership are not interchangeable.

If a grad student would be satisfied with AI fine, but it sounds like the OP wants to do everything undergrads do, she just happens to be a grad student.

Good luck with finding a chapter. I just wanted to let you know that my AXiD chapter has pledged a grad student or two. They where really great.

Anaballerina, I've pmed you. Good luck with your quest and I hope you find the answers you're looking for.

Carolyn

p.s. I joined Phi Sigma Sigma as a grad student so I know they definitely do it just not sure of individual campus and chapter rules.

Actually, the non-discrimination clause says:
 

that NPC sororities do not discriminate on any basis, except for sex. So, I mis-spoke when I quoted just age.

I take it this is FAU or FIU?

Follow-up
 

Hey all,

Thanks for all the helpful comments. It turns out that I am eligible to go through recruitment. I am really excited and defintely hope for the best!

ana

w00t! Be sure to write a Recruitment Story under the Recruitment story thread!! Cheers!

Re: Follow-up
 

Good luck - keep us informed of how it goes.

I think she's been busy lately...;)


We've been get plenty of rain in south florida.



Actually, the whole state is flooded right now. :rolleyes:

the busier, the better!

oh man...more gray skies...sofla weather is insane!

P.S. I will definitely share my recruitment story...hope I can inspire more grads to give it a go!

Graduate women
 

I thought AOII did. I know that my collegiate chapter has in the past. :D

You are helpful :) Mainly because your site has stuff on AXO of which I was not even aware!!!

As said earlier in the thread though, just because it's allowed doesn't mean it's next to unheard of for some groups! If you're a grad student that wants to rush and keep this in mind... then more power to you and good luck.

Graduate Students can't join in some schools
 

I just started my first year of grad school and really wanted to join a sorority. Unfortunately I learned from the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Affairs that graduate students were not allowed to participate in formal recruitment and could not pledge NPC sororities, either :(

If there are sororities at your school that admit grad students as pledges, you should be permitted to go through rush.

I think some schools have the clause about you must be enrolled for an undergraduate degree to go through recruitment. IMO if an NPC chapter colonizes at a school with that restriction, they need to deal with it and not try to get around the system.

This has been discussed on GC that just because an NPC allows graduate students to join, there are school at which grad students don't have a chance of joining. Maybe the school realizes that that is the case and has that policy?

There are also schools where girls who are over a size 6 don't have a chance of joining. The school can't prevent them from rushing.

If you're not in an NPC you should be permitted to rush - if they disallow certain groups from rushing that aren't disallowed by the sororities' national rules (i.e. men) the school could conceivably find itself in a nasty lawsuit.

Exactly. My alma mater is not in the south, but I cannot imagine the houses there pledging a grad student either. Just because an EO allows it, doesn't mean it will happen on a particular campus. And I'd venture a guess that it never happens on campuses with competitive rushes.

I was in a new national system in California and I still can't imagine a grad student being offered at bid at my school. I just don't think the undergrads would feel a grad student would fit in with the chapter, no matter how wonderful a person she is. She's already "been there, done that" in regards to college and might not find it very enjoyable to socialize with women (and men) years younger.

some more info
 

Good luck! :)