Hopeful 2011 SEC PNM from "The North"
 

Hiiii Everyone!

I've been a lurker for some time now but never got around to creating an account or posting, but have been lucky enough to learn/absorb as much information as possible thanks to greekchat! :) I'm about to begin my senior year of high school and just finished up my tour of college visits, so I thought it would be as good a time as any to start to ask my own questions and create my own plan that would help in having a successful recruitment next fall! After my visits, I narrowed my list down to two schools that are both in the SEC and host amongst the most competitive recruitments in the country, South Carolina and Alabama! But the edge definitely goes to the Crimson Tide.

I'm from Northern Virginia. (but even though my state lies South of the mason-dixon line, FEW would consiter where I live "southern", especially those in the deep south) I know this puts me at a disadvantage already due to lack of connections, Alabama high school social scene, ect. This worries me because I've heard a great way for OOS girls to get involved is through the Panhellenic Preview Weekend Bama holds but I'm confused as to if it on an invite only basis?

My only non-active Greek connection is my cousin who was a very very active member of her organization's chapter at UF and is more than willing to write me rec in addition to recs from some of her sisters I've met through her. I know that getting recs for every chapter is a crucial must in SEC recruitment, but this is only one house out of the 17 (I might be off? lol) at Alabama. In this same house is a girl from my home town I'm acquaintances with through mutual friends but is pretty much the only girl I know involved in greek life at the university. I'm not sure where to get the some 16 other recs I need. While I've seen others receive suggestions to find a local alumnae group, I have heard that there aren't any in my area =/ Does anyone know where I could find these additional recs?

I have a strong resume filled with athletics, coaching, volunteer work, and leadership. My grades however, are just average I suppose. I have around a 3.3 in one of the most competitive/challenging school systems in the nation barring a difficult course load. But the highlight of my academic resume would be my SAT/ACT scores with a 1920 and 28 composite. Could this off-set my lightly lower GPA? Do the chapters even see them?

I'm sorry for such a long post but any feedback at all would be very greatly appreciated! :) And if you'd like to send me a PM that's fine too! Thank you all so much in advance!

I don't know much firsthand about SEC recruitment but it sounds like you're at least aware of how competitive recruitment is there so you're starting out on a better footing than some.

I saw you were from NoVa so I had to send a virtual wave your way - I went to GMU and went to a couple different high schools up there so I'm very familiar with the area.

I'll let some gals in the SEC know post some advice for you - good luck and keep us all updated next year when you go through recruitment!

Some good Bama related threads to read:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...hlight=Alabama

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...hlight=Alabama

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...hlight=Alabama

good luck.



side note, can we ban the term 'lurker'?

SthrnZeta, I'm glad I'm not the only NoVa girl on here :) I was actually going to see if I could possibly find some Mason alumnae for recs. And updates to come for sure!

Thank you for those threads KSUViolet, definitely cleared up my issue with the Preview Weekend.

And thank you for your luck jennyj!

Why? It's a time-honored term going back to the ancient days of Usenet. :D

To the OP: It's not too early to start seeking out recs, but first you have to be accepted to Bama and/or USC before you can rush there. As I'm sure you know, your current GPA, SAT, and ACT scores will go on your college applications. At recruitment time, chapters will be able to verify your final HS GPA, so keep your senior-year grades up. Good luck!

Blondieee3, the good news is that you're already aware that you need recs! Instead of showing up in July and being like, "OMG I need recs would any GCers write me one kthxbye", you have plenty of time to find alumnae or actives. Ideally, you would have recs from alumnae who already know you. I bet you know people who are Greek---you just don't know it. Ask:

teachers/coaches/school staff/activity sponsors
older friends
siblings' friends/friends' siblings
parents' friends/friends' parents
babysitters/people who you babysit for
women from your place of worship
coworkers/boss
extended family

Remember that when you find one greek woman, she may know of others. Ask guys too, as they may know greek women. Many (but not all) NPC sororities allow collegians from other chapters to write recommendations, so they don't all have to come from alumnae.

Only after you've exhausted your personal contacts should you ask women from the NoVa APH for recs. The NoVa APH is pretty active, so they should be helpful. Since they're still pretty far north, I doubt they are inundated with rec requests like the APHs in the Deep South.
Ah yes, but it won't hurt her to find rec writers now, and then once she knows for sure where she is going, let the ones she needs know to write the rec.

I just had to chuckle at this. I used to live in NoVa, and my southern (i.e. North Carolinian) friends swore up and down to me that I did NOT live in "the south!" Being from Pennsylvania, I didn't get it at first - I thought anything below the Mason-Dixon line was the south. But I learned. :D

Anyway, blondieee3, you're off to a good start, and you've gotten some good advice here. Good luck!

Depending on where in North Carolina, they might not be "Southern" either. Charlotte is one of those places, much like Florida, which may physically be in the south, but aren't really "Southern". Cary, NC also falls into this category. ;)

You mean Containment Area for Relocated Yankees?? ;)

My best friend lives outside Charlotte now, but he grew up in the middle-of-nowhere, NC. And went to App State. He complains all the time about the Yankees who move down there and want to change everything to "how it was back in New Jersey/New York." I-95 goes both ways, ya know...

On the flip side, I have friends who are originally from Ohio and just moved to the Raleigh-Durham area from Long Island. They're sort of those Yankees my NC friend complains about. But they said most people they meet down there are originally from up North, so they feel at home. LOL

It would be nice to have a road actually run north-south or east-west and not change names half a dozen times. :p

LOL to all of this NoVA stuff. I remember meeting kids from Georgia on my senior trip and having one of my friends say that I was going to school in "the South." They asked me where and I said, "George Mason!" and they laughed. I didn't get it (being from New York) until I arrived here and realized that this part of Virginia is assuredly not "the South."

blondieee3: The NoVA Alumnae Panhellenic is very active (I have a few friends from Mason involved in it). There are also some very active alumnae organizations for various NPCs in the DC/Capitol area if you should need another option. I'm sure they get a lot of rec requests since so many young women in this area do end up in SEC schools. Take a look at the Alabama and Auburn bid lists posted on GC and you'll see plenty of girls from NoVA (including Fairfax, woo!).

My only other piece of advice is to worry about getting into school first and joining a sorority after that - but yeah, it is good to be prepared as an out of stater.

ETA: Funny coincidence, but I was just looking at a facebook event for a fundraiser Chi Omega is holding and I saw a reponse on the wall that was something like "Sorry I'm away from Fairfax at school, but I'm a XO now too!" from a Chi Omega new member at South Carolina. I know I spend too much time on GC because I knew she was from USC because of her bid day shirt from the picture violet pretty's thread - ack!

Some of us remember when Cary was a true little Southern town. (Maybe I should cross-post this in the "things that make you feel old" thread.) There's still a Southern kernel in Cary (and you can still find a few old-timers who call it "Cay-ry"), but it's getting harder and harder to find.

Haha yes I'm trying to get as much of my college business completed ASAP because I have a very busy senior year planned! And thank you for all those suggestions of ladies to ask! Living "so far north" hahaha I still don't go back to school for another week but I figured I'd start there and by asking my counselor if she know's of any sorority women on campus. I looked up most of the alumnae chapters in my area and while some haven't been updated in maaaany months, others have volunteer events right aroud the corner! :) I'm really interested in a few and would like to participate in them as well. Not affiliated ofcourse, but would that be too much to request information and what not?

Also, you're both right, I have not been accepted to either university yet but have sent applications, transcripts, scores ect. and I know Alabama uses rolling admission so fingers crossed, I'll hear back soon!

Thank you again for all you're imput :)

Haha that's so funny! It's actually pretty crazy that within the same state, you can go from big city "yankee" life, to tiny little farms with confederate flags. Same goes for North and even parts of South Carolina. I think what strips NoVa of it's right to remain Southern would be the diversity and number of transplants. I live near Fairfax but what many consiter the D.C. suburbs and almost everyone I know's parents work for the Government in some way or the Military. Few few people have lived here their whole lives and even fewer have parents native to the area. My parents were both in the Navy with my mom originally being from Northbrook, Illinois and my father from Southern California. And when retired from the service, now work for the Gov. Hahaha typical "DMV" lifestyle I guess. ;)