Spring Rush U. Houston 2011
 

Hi, My name is Lyss, I just tried to Rush in the fall, my Panhellenic is small, 6 Sororities in total, and I had a 2.3 gpa, and I know that is why i was dismissed on the 2nd day.

I made a 2.5 last semester, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am going to raise my GPA at the end of this Fall Semester, I'm wondering how best to approach Spring Rush, this fall we had almost 200 girls rushing! U. Houston is relatively small, they had a cap of 55 girls per chapter, but that is obviously now OUT!

I've heard from a few girls that spring rush get's far fewer girls and is somewhat less formal, ie, the silence clause isn't as huge, and girls go out to dinner with the chapter(s) and etc. It's a bit more personal, which I hope will benefit me.

I read the posts on what to and not to talk about, at parties and the etc, no boys, booze, beliefs, etc. I've know my dream chapter, and I got along immediately with the girls in it, and I've studied some of their philosophy, creed, philanthropy, and beliefs, but I'm just not sure how to really go about recruitment in the spring.

http://uhgreeks.theginsystem.com/ind...d=23&Itemid=30

right now my greek website only contains information for the girls currently in pledge for their sororities, bid day was just on sunday!

Hope I was thorough!

Thanks so much!
Lyss

:confused::confused::confused:

Question here?

And it sounds like the spring rush is informal. That means that not all sororities might be taking place, especially if fall was as large as you implied.

You are likely a pretty big grade risk, so if there is some particular reason (e.g. death in the family, switched majors), try to let the chapters know that. Don't go broadcasting it at every opportunity, but try to bring it up when you have some personal time with one or two of the sisters.

Are you currently a sophomore? That, plus being a grade risk, can definitely work against you.

I found a nifty calculator online that will help you figure out how many credits of "A" you would need to pull your cumulative GPA up to a 3.0. According to the calculator, you'd need 22 units of A to improve a 2.3 to a 3.0.

http://www.back2college.com/raisegpa.htm

From the NPC Recruitment results page.

University of Houston-

Q:I believe is 21
AXO-21
XO-21
DG-21
Phi Mu-21
DZ-21
...not sure about ZTA,but every chapter is over total,YAY!

Unless something changes dramatically, I don't see any informal recruitment happening at all. Maybe 1 or 2 chapters taking 1 or 2 girls, but if they are OVER total, dropping TO total still won't allow them to do any recruitment.

Not necessarily. Total is not automatically raised even if all 6 chapters are currently over. Panhellenic would have to recommend raising the number which (historically) means that the reps take it back to each group for a chapter vote, then each group's Panhellenic rep votes her chapter's decision. Keep in mind that although all 6 groups may be over 55 today, they know that they will graduate girls during the year and could potentially fall below total before formal recruitment next year.

Even so, you need to be getting a 4.0 and have a good reason why your GPA was so low before. And why you just got a 2.5. Just because spring rush may be informal, that does not mean that sororities with open spots will lower their standards.

To the OP: the word "cap" really isn't accurate as it implies a number that may not be exceeded. This isn't the Showcase Showdown. Total can be exceeded if the amount of women going through rush creates a quota that exceeds it.

They may have spots open if girls graduate in December but this is far from a sure thing.

Some good advice so far- let me please tackle the grade question and then pose a question to some of the other experienced posters here since I think there is a big strategic decision to be made.

First off, I just had a look at the link you posted and it showed the GPA requirements for all PNMs to be 2.5 GPA (in one case 3.0 HS/2.5 college), so it looks like you must have a 2.5

You say your GPA in fall rush was 2.3 and you got a 2.5 last semester. So assuming you took the same number of hours each semester, you got a 2.1 last fall.

If you are taking the same number of hours this semester that you took the last 2 semesters, you will need a 3.0 this fall in order to get your GPA over the 2.5 limit- and you will have a 2.53. If you max out with a 4.0 this semester, that will take your GPA to 2.87.

Here is my question to pose to everyone on behalf of the OP, if I may presume to do so Lyss,

All else left aside, do you guys think it is wiser to do spring rush as a sophomore at U. of Houston with a GPA between 2.53 and 2.87 at a school with a 2.5 requirement, or is it a better strategy to try for two strong semesters and rush as a junior with hopefully a GPA closer to or above a 3.0? (To get above a 3.0 you need to average 3.8 per semester between this fall and this coming spring.)

It is going to be a more difficult path either way, no doubt. But I ask the question in the hopes it might generate some good strategic advice in a situation where there are many unknowns- the greatest of which is member selection itself which you cannot predict.

One thing I do think is certain- a pattern can matter a great deal if your overall GPA is still close to the danger point. Getting a 3.6-4.0 this semester will establish the beginning of a very positive grade pattern and I think that could do a lot to overcome the past. Getting a 3.0 and just meeting the minimum with a 2.53 overall, not so much.

It is wise to explore the whole issue of quotas/caps and what might be available- but first and foremost please consider your own readiness. That will matter most when you are competing for your place.

Good luck and I hope this generates some helpful advice.

I don't think there will be a spring recruitment since all chapters are over total. The DG's (my former chapter) are at 58 and would need to lose at least 4 members before being able to add any new PNMs. I seriously doubt they would hold COB for 1 or 2 spots.

UH recruitment isn't particularly competitive and as long as a PNM meets the minimum requirements and maximizes her options, she would most likely receive a bid. In my opinion, a PNM at UH is more likely to get a bid as an upperclassman than as a grade risk. In all honesty, I do not think a 2.5 would be high enough to make up for junior status, unless the PNM is exceptional in every other way.

EE-BO makes some great points. I think establishing a pattern of a rising GPA is the most important thing, esp since it will be really hard to actually raise your GPA much. Just going from getting, say, all Cs, to B- and B will show improvement, and that you're working hard. A stagnant GPA that low can be an easy way to thin the herd, even if you're great.

TANGENT:
Something that I noticed as an active was that, ironically, the chapters who had the highest GPAs hardly ever cut for grade risks, while it seemed that those whose GPAs were lower often did. (This is coming from my indiscreet friends in other chapters, so...). One might hypothesize that high GPA chapters have enough members that are studious that they're not too worried about one or two grade risks, while low GPA chapters need all the help they can get. On the other hand, the chapters I'm thinking of, with "low" GPAs were generally some of the more popular ones, so through RFM they had to make the most cuts anyway.

If someone had a 2.1 GPA one term, wouldn't they have to re-take some of those courses because they were below a 2.0? And, when you re-take a course, doesn't the new grade replace the old one, making your GPA jump a lot? This was how it worked at my university so if you had a 2.0 in Accounting 101 and re-took it and got a 4.0, the 4.0 was the only one that counted.

@AGDee, I think that Grade Replacement Option policy varies from university/college to university/college. And if it's only a few classes taken for GRO, the bottom line is still that to bring that GPA up to a 3.0, one would need 22 units of "A" or 4.0 grades, with no lower grades obtained.

To me, the important message here is that the OP should be "pledging the library" as some other GCers often write.

@angels&angles, that's a most interesting tangent you've brought up ;)