Round two?
 

Hello everyone! I'm new to Greek Chat and I'm looking for some advice, not necessarily the "right answer". Here's my story...

Two years ago I went through recruitment at my school and accepted a bid from my number one pick (I was so excited)!! A few weeks into it (before initiation) I withdrew from the SCHOOL all together to take a different career path. That "new career path" didn't exactly go as I had hoped and now I am back at my old school wanting to rush again this fall. My question is... how likely (or unlikely) is it that I will be given a second chance? The girls in the sorority I accepted know the situation. I didn't just drop them, it was the school all together. I want this SO bad, but I'm really nervous about what the outcome will be.

Again, I know you don't know my specific school rules...that's not what I'm asking for.

Thanks :)

Really, no one can answer this for you. Number one, it was two years ago. There has been a lot of time since you left. A lot of the women you knew are probably no longer in the chapter. A lot may depend on how good your relationship was with the chapter when you left. If if wasn't a contentious parting, your chances are probably a lot better than if you ran out screaming, "To hell with XYZ and Big City University!" Then again, for some chapters, you only get one chance.

If you don't give it a try, you will never know. I would go into it with an open mind, though. Try not to have a mind set that you only want your old chapter, because that might not happen for you. If it does, the awesome, but realize after 2 years, this is NOT the same chapter you left. Also, be ready to answer the hard questions like: How do we know you are going to stay in school this time? Do you even know what want? You quit school then you quit this new career opportunity, do you ever finish what you start? Why should we give you a second chance? I'll give you a hint, "Because I really, really want it!" is not the correct answer.

Good luck with recruitment. I hope it works out for you, whether that means you end up where you think you belong now or where it turns out you belong after recruitment.

I like my old chapter, but I definitely have an open mind for the rest because it's not like I was in long enough to really know anyone. I didn't leave screaming anything haha, I really didn't want to leave them.

When I left college, I completed (graduated) from the other school I went to. But I want to finish my college degree. So it's not that I don't finish the things I start. I'm just not sure what the best way to go about "explaining" this to them is. Obviously I'm not goig to spend my open rounds blabbing about it... right?

What's to explain? You withdrew from school. You did something else career wise (from your posts, I'm assuming you went to some sort of 2 year technical school). You didn't get a job straightaway like you thought you would, so to make yourself more marketable, you've decided to return to school and get a 4 year college degree. Pretty simple.

There's no reason whatsoever for the girls to be upset at you, unless you left school with financial debts you hadn't paid to the chapter.

Two years have passed. Two years in college time is like 20 years in the real world. You may find you fit in with another chapter much better than the one you joined - keep in mind that most of the seniors and juniors who were there when you were are gone. You should see some chapter members you know, but don't think you have a "lock" on getting back in - and more importantly, don't assume you're going to want it.

Also keep in mind, that if yours is a school where 90% of rushees are first-semester 18 year old freshmen, your age may work against you, completely regardless of your prior history.

It's not about rules. I doubt if there is a rule against a 20 year old with 60 credits going through recruitment at your school. It's about norms. Like 33girl said, look at what you're up against. If most of the women who join are 18 year old freshmen, your chances will be less than at schools where sophomores and juniors regularly get bids.

If they ask which chapter I pledged before, do I tell them?

Yes, they probably already know (or can really really easily find out), so lying or being vague wouldn't help you at all.

YES. If it's another sorority asking though, be sure to make it clear that you left school, not that you depledged or were depledged by the group.

Is there a chance they will form an opinion about you depending on the chapter you pledged? Yes, there is. But better for that to happen than for you to lie and the group to find out down the road - that sort of thing is almost impossible to get past.

The other career path that you explored... Will that make you a junior or sophomore at your original school? Or will you be returning as a freshman (i.e., those credits don't transfer)?

This summer was my first semester back & I just reached the 30 hour mark with my summer class, so I'm a sophmore.