Should I bother trying?
 

I plan to rush as a sophomore at a very competitive school. The problem is, I had a bad spring semester. I am very determined to stay academically focused this fall so I can bring my Gpa back up to a 2.9 before the pref rounds begin after fall semester.

Many of the houses that I like and see myself being in have a minumum of 2.8, so thats alright. But one specific house that is pretty much my first choice requires a 3.0 as a sophomore.

Would it be possible for me to miraculously get a bid from that house at all, despite the fact that I'd be 0.1 under their cut-off? I plan to get recs , and I'm cool with one girl who is already in that house, if that helps. I've heard stories of girls who didn't make grades and still got bids so i'm not sure.

I would suggest that, although you believe you have a number one choice already, you go into recruitment with an open mind about different groups. You may be pleasantly surprised and find a home in a different chapter than the one you think you like best right now.

If you go through recruitment, you may or may not end up in a sorority. If you don't, you're no worse off than you are right now.

If you don't go through recruitment, you will not be in a sorority.

Given that, isn't it worth giving it a try and seeing what happens?

1. No one knows what the exact membership selection process is for any particular chapter/house, except those in that room on that day. There are hundreds of variables effecting one's chances of receiving a bid, and the difference between a .1% difference in GPA could hold a lot of weight, or be one of a myriad of contingencies that are considered.

2. Grades ARE very important, however, because you will have a lot of time commitments during at least your first semester, and the following. If you cannot maintain them without such a huge time commitment, how can you improve them WITH the challenge?

3. Knowing one "cool" girl really isn't going to make or break your experience. Meet as many people as possible from all chapters, but do so as a means of making friends, not just to make strategic connections.

4. Close your ears to "tent talk" - that's anything that anyone says they "heard", "read", or was told that happened to a friend of a friend.

5. Lastly, but most importantly, I'd recheck your attitude about the "realy small and lame" NPHC house. Most Greeks have little tolerance for trashing other chapters and umbrella Orgs.

I suggest you close your mouth, listen and observe, put your best foot forward, and try to be as open minded as possible. FYI This place is not that anonymous. People have ways of finding things out without a lot of sleuthing.

I hope that your journey brings you to where you belong.

Damn. I suggest you edit out that last parenthesized line.

Don't rule out a particular organization(s) just because they might be "small" or "lame," there have been people who have entered struggling chapters and made a big impact on them.

Also, "lame" is very subjective. It may be you just haven't had enough exposure to all organizations. Just keep your options open and an open-mind, especially if you go through with NPC Rush. Because that one house that you're nuts about could turn out to be less than you expected.

If that particular house has a nationally mandated GPA of 3.0, they cannot offer a bid to anyone with a lower GPA.

You mentioned that you are a student at a school with a "very competitive" recruitment, so I have to agree with the statements above that it's a really bad idea to go into recruitment with a #1 house. Also, it should be stated that many houses have minimums, but never pledge anyone with anywhere close to that minimum... so those houses with 2.8 minimums might be allowed to pledge a girl with a 2.9 or something, but that doesn't mean they will do that. That's part of the competitiveness of recruitment.

I can't decide whether the attitude is "I'm trying to be cool and act like I don't care," or if you're really the person I envision walking into recruitment and rolling her eyes behind girls' backs.

You're rushing as a sophomore, which at some schools isn't a huge deal. Bit you say your school is competitive. What about you makes you stand out? What are you phenomenal at? Just being cool with one girl probably won't cut it .

We'll all say basically the same thing: You'll never know unless you try, it's possible, etc. Just realize that it will be difficult as a sophomore with lower than desired grades and a less than delightful demeanor.

Ok there, I edited that statement. However, that statement was actually the words of someone else who's also a minority in an NPC house and thats why she didn't bother rushing at NPHC house. On our campus, they don't have houses and you hardly hear of them, so I just assumed she was right.But o well, every where is different.

And yea I'm really involved with the arts and I've used that for volunteer work, so that's one way for me to stand out. I hope you guys realize that most of the advice you all mentioned were things I'm already aware of; I didn't just decided yesterday that I will rush. But thanks for the reminders anyway. I do plan to keep an open mind about all the houses as I am aware that my first choice will probably change after I visit each house in person.

P.S to the ppost above, I really don't see how I come across as having a "less than delightful" demeanor?
P.P.S How does "tent talk" that I hear actually affect me?

How do you come across as having a less than delightful demeanor? You did it again in your second post. "ok, there" "I hope you guys realize," etc.

Do you realize that you're on a message board with women that know more than you, and that you asked their advice?

It doesn't matter if they were your words. You repeated them and made them yours.

Your comment about NPHC is an example of how tent talk can affect you. You've made assumptions based on what another girl told you. The tent talk comment was made I'm sure to give you a word of caution and to remind you to not let other PNM's impressions sway you.

Ok, I'll just cut to the chase:
You won't get in.

So in answer to your thread title, no.

Exactly what I was thinking, especially about the "tent talk". Well said.

I think I just fell in love with you a little bit.

Aw. *blush* :p

Ouch...well thanks for the harsh reality check, I guess...

I sense a lot of negative, condescending vibes from this thread , which isn't what expected when I joined this site. Although we're pretty much anonymous on GC, I don't find the cattiness necessary. But sorry for my comment about the NPHC, I'll do better research about it, even though I still don't see myself rushing there (but who knows)...Starting this thread was pretty pointless overall. How can I find the exact answer to whether or not I have a chance when no one on this site even knows me lol...

But for those who are interested, I'll update later on what happens after rush...

Still excited for rush!!

I wouldn't take nittanyalum's post as condescending. What she says is most likely true. The very RARE exception gets into a group without exceeding the GPA cutoff. People have been dancing around saying what nittanyalum very bluntly said, but in the end, she's doing you a favor. Go in realizing that your #1 pick may not be an option for you and have your heart open to other possibilities.

p.s the 3.0 isnt national, its just for my school only (they make them higher)

Even so, if a chapter made the decision to make 3.0 the cutoff, they probably aren't willing to make an exception to that rule unless the PNM is someone's BFF from birth. Just be prepared.

Be careful here - many a PNM has thought this same thing and found out the hard way that it isn't necessarily the case.

And yes, the post may have been a bit harsh, but it's better to go into Recruitment with a good dose of reality rather than a false sense of expectations and wind up disappointed.

All that said, good luck to you.

Dear sister, we are ----->here<----- :D

Hee hee. :cool:

So you don't even have a 2.9 right now and have already decided which sorority you want in spite of having a current GPA far below their requirement? And you'll be rushing as a sophomore at a competitive school? And you've already insulted other groups here? Yeah, good luck with that!

Don't worry, I'm going in with an open mind. Thanks for the clarification.


And to MTSUGURL, saying "ok there" and "I hope you guys realize" still doesn't prove I have a less than delightful demeanor so don't read the wrong emotion into what I write . And to the person above, I dropped that statement already. My GPA is a 2.77 now unfortunately, but its not too far. And if i wanted to really try, I could get it to a 3...

I'm not reading emotions. Your remarks say that you know better than those you're asking advice from.
Did you ask us if you should bother going through recruitment because you wanted honesty or because you wanted a sunshiney, "Yes! It's not only possible, it's probable you'll get in!"? Recruitment is FUN, but it's also hard and you need to be prepared for rejection.
I went through recruitment as a junior at a not-so-competitive Southern school with a less than stellar GPA, a rec for every group, tons of volunteer and leadership experiences, and was already involved in a couple of other campus orgs. I had several close friends in most of them. I didn't make it. Why didn't I make it? I was a junior with less than stellar grades. But after recruitment you wouldn't believe the calls I got from women I knew in the groups that told me how much they wish things had been different, that they wished they could make an exception for grades and class status. I've been through your situation, but approached it with a different attitude. As a result, I got tons more positive support and friendships with some amazing women - some of whom have given you advice here.
You can't afford to make a less than amazing first impression. Recruitment is a lot of first impressions. You've made a poor one here with your words themselves and the attitude they convey. Am I hoping you get cut? Not at all. I'm a sucker for recruitment stories and I love it when people come back to tell us to get a bid. Just approach things differently in real life than you have here.

GPA requirements are bare minimums. You should be "really trying" to improve your grades for the sake of your future, not because you think you can possibly get into the sorority of your dreams if you bother to work hard for one semester.

I agree completely. I see this sort of thing way too often, "Those minimum expectations can't possibly apply to me, right?"

Try!
Knowing you already have 2 semesters under you belt, to raise your GPA to a 3.0 in onesemester will take nearly a 4.0

I completely agree...this coming from an alumnae in a very NON-competitive southern school where we NEVER made grade exceptions even though we had a large number of PNMs with grades below our cutoff which incidentally was higher for our chapter than AOII international mandates.

My school actually doesn't require recs, but thanks for sharing your story... and thanks everyone for informing me that your GPA is the first way they cut people. Atleast I won't worry and hope I'll be an exception. Now I'll go in with a realistic view and know what houses to or not to expect bids from (that is, if I don't get up to a 3 next semester).

This situation is both funny and yet it sucks at the same time: It feels like summer before senior year , worrying about what college my SAT/ACT scores will get me into, etc lol

Many schools say that recs aren't necessary, but you know what? Recs help you stand out, especially if you're at a very competitive school like you say.

Just because they're not mandatory does not mean you should not even bother with them.

My schools doesn't require recs. A lot don't "require" recs - they tell you not to worry about them, that it's the sororities' responsibility to hunt one up for you if they like you. Although your school might not require recs, your situation very well might.

I rushed at a Big 12 school a sophomore with a 2.77 and not a single recommendation.

I was cut by 11 out of 13 houses after the first round. Yeah, ouch.

Things did work out for me. I got a bid to a good sorority that took a HUGE chance on me. I became an appointed officer later that semester. I also got a 3.67 last semester and got my cumulative up to a respectable 3.2.

So it's possible to end up in a good house and even be a valuable member. But, with your stats, getting there will be tough.

If you rush, you will probably be cut heavily. You may or may not end up in a sorority.

If you don't rush, you will not be in a sorority. Period.

I don't think it's possible to say it any better than this. :)

Take home message: Recs matter because they can help you. And some NPC groups require them if you want to be seriously considered.

As someone who sits on more than one Alumnae Panhellenic Bd. and sees the results on the back end, I can assure you of that. At this point, if you are going to go through the process, I strongly suggest you find out what you need and then do everything possible to set yourself up for the best opportunities. No, recs aren't required. But if you have less than fab grades, and are not a freshman, you're going to have to put in a little more work and show what you can bring if it's not 3 years of collegiate membership or a boost to the chapter's overall gpa. And I'm sure you will get those grades up for your own sake, over time.

When you request recs, make sure you take the time to write a nice intro letter about yourself to the alums who will be helping you. I've dealt with girls who don't want to bother taking this step because they're busy at the pool or working at Abercrombie. Hmmm. Tells me how badly they want this.

Write up a nice resume about yourself for these alums, detailing your leadership experience, your commitment to the community, your talents and interests, and your job experience. As someone with 1 more year of maturity than the freshman, maybe you bring a lot more to the table--now you have to sell that.

Best of luck to you.