Advice Needed
 

Greetings all! I am asking for some advice on two issues, and I will certainly appreciate any offered (including brutally candid advice). Since I first got interested in possibly going through recruitment last year, I looked at this website, and I joined so I could get some feedback. Please bear with me.

I will be a freshman this fall at a large SEC School. Neither of my parents was involved in Greek life in college (dad was enlisted in Army, then went to college on GI bill and then was commissioned as an officer, mom went to nursing school). I have an aunt on dad's side who was Greek (who has helped me out so far with advice and getting recs, but who is VERY VERY pro-recruitment, and we are not super close) and one cousin (mom's side) who is currently in a sorority at the university I will attend.

My aunt helped explain the need for recommendations and helped me get recs to almost all of the houses at UGA, and she is going to help me assemble my "recruitment wardrobe" prior to the start of recruitment (assuming I do go through recruitment).


The good news is that I got a full ROTC scholarship. This would free up "college money" we have saved for tuition and other expenses to pay for sorority expenses if I were to join. My parents don't have a problem with me joining a sorority as long as it does not interfere with academics or ROTC. My dad previously worked for a female general officer who he really respected.

I have only had one "up-close" encounter with the Greek system in question. Last year I was there for an academic competition and after we were eliminated, I was able to meet up with my cousin (sophomore at the time). She took me and a girl from my team (the only other girl on our team) to get something to eat, and we went by her sorority house. I was initially intimidated by the size of the house, but the members we met there were very friendly, down-to-earth, pretty, and funny. At that point, I was still very focused on USAFA, so I really wasn't picuring myself joining a sorority, but meeting them left a really positive image. (Note: This summer I found "Greekrank.com," and I read some comments about my cousin's sorority that were awful, calling them "awkward," "lower tier" and "rejects" but it seemed there was something bad about every sorority listed, so I don't give that web site any credence.) Meeting the members of my cousin's house was a strong factor in deciding to go through recruitment this fall.

Here is my first question: Will I be able to balance the commitments of ROTC with sorority obligations (assuming I am asked to join)? My aunt says this should not be a problem because I would be excused from sorority meetings and attendence at events if I had a school-related conflict. I am sort of reluctant to discuss this with my cousin (we are friendly, but not super close, and I don't want it to be an awkward conversation for her). It is my understanding that most of the ROTC functions occur early in the morning or on weekends. In high school I managed to balance a number of activities with school, but I know college life will be much more challenging.

Second question: At this point I plan on trying to apply again to USAFA for next year's starting class (they do give some appointments each year to ROTC students and enlisted personnel, though you have to start over as a freshman, even if you have completed a semester in college). I know my odds aren't good, but I feel I need to give it one last shot. Here is the question: If I join a sorority and then transfer at the end of my freshman year at UGA to USAFA, would I then be an alumni of the sorority, even though I did not graduate as a member of the chapter? I think this is the case. I asked my aunt, but she didn't really answer the question ("Oh, you won't WANT to transfer after your freshman year!"). From looking at this website, I know being an alumni is a big part of being in a sorority. If I were able to get a slot at USAFA, I would transfer.

OK, I rambled quite a bit there. But I would really appreciate candid feedback. I know it is definitely NOT a given that I will get asked to join a sorority, but I don't want to waste everyone's time if it is an obligation I cannot fufill because of ROTC commitments. In the event I do get selected for USAFA (and I had joined a sorority) I would want to know I would be an alumni.

Sorry for the long post.

Sorry, I wrote: "My dad previously worked for a female general officer who he really respected." I forgot to add, "...who was in a sorority in college."

I just caught several typo's, too. Sorry about that.

You would be an alum of your sorority if you transferred as long as you are initiated. ROTC and sorority life will be difficult, but if you want to do it, tougher things have been done. Make sure your sorority knows your ROTC schedule upfront. Since your scholarship rides on your participation, it has to come first.

I have seen many people balance ROTC and greek life well. It all comes down to time management.

Several of my chapter sisters balanced sorority life while on ROTC scholarships. It was tough, though...especially when mandatory events/meetings fell on the same days as ROTC commitments.

It has and can be done, but as AOII Angel said, your scholarship is your #1 priority.

Check with the applicable ROTC detachment as well. My daughter chose not to go greek when she went to UTexas, but her ROTC information was very very clear that one would NOT be excused from ROTC commitments for sorority commitments. Not saying you can't do it, but advising you to check not only with the sororities but with the ROTC detachment as well. You might want to find out how many women in the detachment are currently in sororities.

I also had sisters who balanced ROTC and Theta. ROTC always came first though, because it was their scholarship and an academic class as well. In comparison my brother went 3 years on an ROTC scholarship, and had to quit football after his second year because of the time involved for both in the summer and fall.

And avoid greek-rank dot com. It does nothing but the opposite of what greek life aims to accomplish. It breeds negativity.

Take it with a grain of salt, as fraternities and sororities are (obviously) different, but my freshman year a guy joined a fraternity and then transferred to the Naval Academy. He was previously in ROTC, and it balanced pretty well, and once he transferred he kept in touch with his brothers, and many came to visit him (and were later in his wedding).

It's definitely doable, but it will take a lot of commitment to both. I would say go through recruitment -- you can always drop out if you're not sure if you can do it after getting to talk to the girls.

Avoid GR. According to that site, all sororities are either slutty, stupid, awkward, fat, coked-out, or some combination thereof. Meet the sororities and see how you feel, make your own impressions.

GArunnergirl--Congratulations on getting into UGA, all of your accomplishments, and getting a ROTC scholarship! I have family in GA, and I know how very difficult it has become to get into UGA. Please check with your ROTC advisor ASAP (or whatever he/she is called), as to requirements for attending ROTC functions. It also sounds that you are quite good at time management- you are ahead of the curve as compared to many incoming freshmen.

I will tell you, a number of the girls in my daughter's sorority are pre-med, engineering, finance, physical therapy, physics, math, honors accounting and some other really brain-busting majors, and are balancing their lives successfully. In case you are wondering, NO ONE gives them crap for being brainiacs. (Especially when one is struggling through weed out chemistry, accounting and calculus courses and bless them they are willing to explain the concepts so that one can understand them). Everyone has strengths that they contribute to the sorority. BTW, Big Bang is younger daughter's favorite show.

Does UGA send out a recruitment booklet during the summer months like some other SEC schools do (I am familiar with USC's)? If so, it may have some pretty specific examples for what to wear type outfits for each day. Or check their website. In addition to your aunt, you might want to head to a large department store (Nordstrom/Dillards, I can bet you they will have someone who will be able to give you help). You might want to bring the UGA recruitment booklet or printed website pages so they can understand the looks that you are going for. You might also want to check the threads from this year (polyvore) and "what to wear for recruitment" threads from last year-some great looks. I would post the threads but for some reason can't. I would also read the stickies, and any SEC/UGA recruitment threads, if you haven't already, they will give you an idea as to what to expect from recruitment.

Great that you got recs!

The website you mentioned is poisonous. Period. I think every single sorority in every single university on that website has had nasty, catty, hurtful comments written about it. Ignore it. Is your cousin happy in her sorority? That is what counts. All those idiot posters who denigrate her sorority (or any others) can stick it.

One last thing- although I would tell the sororities about ROTC, I would not tell them about your hoping to get into USAFA. Since it is only a possibility at this point, you don't want it to be a strike against you.

Good luck!

The UGA Recruitment Handbook - The Pointer, is posted online for the 2011 Fall Recruitment and can be found here:

http://www.uga.edu/panhellenic/recru...ter%202011.pdf

There are day-by-day "what to wear" guides that will be helpful.

It's been a while since my time in Athens, but most sororities are happy to have well-rounded sisters who are involved in their academic careers as well as activities outside the house.

Take a look at The Pointer, work on getting recs to the houses you're lacking, and brush up on conversation skills.

And definitely stay off sites and away from people who rank houses. And avoid tent talk. UGA has 17 really great sororities. They all have a lot to offer their PNMs.

And just to be picky, it's "alumna" (singular) of a sorority because all members are female. But you would be an "alumnus" of UGA because that is the default for mixed sexes or all males.

(And the plurals are alumnae and alumni, respectfully).

Titchou, you can be as respectful as you want, but the correct word to use there is "respectively" :)

/grammar nazi

Is that actually correct? I believe that a school function would be an alumni dinner, but one can still be an alumna of a school. When speaking in general using alumnus/alumni makes sense of course, but an individual whose gender is known can be identified appropriately.

Wiki agrees.

You should touch base with the Detachment Commander to find out what your time constraints are going to be, particularly as a new cadet before your freshman year. Make sure you will not have obligations that will interfere with the dates for recruitment (needless to say, figure that out with your own calendar). If there is not a conflict, go through recruitment and see what you think. Be candid (to use your own term) with the sisters you talk to during recruitment about ROTC (though I would avoid discussing a possible transfer to USAFA).
Also, find out if there are ROTC cadets who are involved in the Greek community. If you end up doing both, they could probably offer some good guidance.
Granted, it was a while back, but we had at least three girls I remember in my house who were ROTC and they managed to balance both and all three were commissioned on graduation. We also had another sister who, shortly after graduation, shocked everyone by going through USMC Officer Candidate School and made it, despite being about as far from USMC demeanor as you could imagine (very girly girl, though a good athlete).
Good luck! You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders.

Perhaps it has devolved to this but I took 3 years of Latin and was raised Catholic when everything was in Latin. That's how it was then.

And either way, she would never be "an alumni" as alumni is plural.