Informal Recruitment or Formal Recruitment? Hmm...
 

So my question is pretty simple. If you are a transfer student (like I will be in the spring), is it better to go through informal recruitment and be limited to certain houses OR is it better to go through formal recruitment and maximize my options even though I'll be a sophomore by then? Hmmm....

Its not even September 1 of your Freshman year and you are already planning on transferring? Please give the school you are at a chance.

That said if you still transfer - it depends on what school you are transferring to as to your chances. Most big state schools have better chance for any chapter in formal recruitment. Most of the time they would have less than half of the chapters Participating in COB. If you knew a friend in one of those chapters it may be better to try and rush one of those

She's at a community college right now, HQWest. And probably wants to transfer to her SEC dream school--am I right, tigergirl14?

We know it is killing you to have to sit out this semester, tigergirl14. It's just hard for us to tell you what to do or what is better for you, because of so many variables. I would like you to focus on getting the very best GPA you can this semester, and on involving yourself in some activities that will not only keep you busy but will help you have something to talk about (when you do go through recruitment) besides how you didn't get to start at LSU as you originally planned. ;)

And on the off chance that you don't get to transfer mid-year, you'll have more things going on to keep you engaged until you do get to transfer.

Yes you are! However I won't be transferring to a big SEC school but to a smaller university here in South Texas!

Probably the best thing to do is take a wait and see attitude. Informal recruitment could be anything from a few chapters offering a few bids to girls they already know to an organized process with parties similar to formal recruitment, just smaller in scope. It may take place almost as soon as the semester begins, or it may be ongoing. If you have any friends at the school you'll be attending, especially upperclassmen, I would recommend finding out about the process from them. Every school is going to be a little different.

I'm going to go a different way. I would say take the first opportunity you are offered. Every sorority offers a similar experience so I don't think it's as critically important to be exposed to every one. If you have an opportunity to informal rush and you have a connection, I'd go for it. If you go through informal and you're feeling really meh about your options, then by all means wait and go through formal as a sophomore.

But just like boys, you don't have to have dated every one to know you like THIS one.

My opinion :)

THIS!!!

I think this is the best possible advice. Regardless of whether you decide to go through formal or informal, coming in with the highest GPA you possibly can, and with some organization and community involvement under your belt, will give you the greatest chances of landing a bid. (That is, short of doing some genealogy work and discovering that you're actually related to a founder or something.)

You will make the informal/formal decision later, and all the attention you give it now is not going to make the opportunity come any sooner. This is something that you can focus on right now that will have a positive impact. Future you will be cursing present you if you don't have a good transfer GPA by the end of your stint in CC.