Rushing at Alabama for Fall 2015
 

Hi!

I am so excited/nervous to rush at The University of Alabama! I also have so many questions. I keep hearing everybody talking about recs is that basically just the same as recommendation letters you get while applying to a school but from greek members? I have two older sisters who are both members of Phi Mu so would they be able to write me recs? I'm from Maryland so i'm a little nervous about not being from the south and rushing at such a Southern school. Will this affect my chances at all? My GPA is average at a 3.25 but I'm working really hard to raise it before the end of my senior year. What is a good GPA to have? Basically what should I begin doing now to be prepared for rushing? I am so excited and can't wait to see what the future holds for me. Thank you!

Welcome. We have lots of info on Bama rush. Be sure to look around in the Recruitment forum. You will need recommendations to the chapters at Bama. Your sisters might be able to submit recommendations for you, depending what Phi Mu's policy is concerning collegiate members being allowed to submit recs. if one or both sisters are alumnae members then there should be no problem. They should also submit a legacy form if Phi Mu has one. Some sororities have separate recommendation and legacy forms. Start looking around among teachers past and present, neighbors, friends of your family, your friends family members, older school mates who are in college. Also, depending on where you live, there may be an alumnae Panhellenic in your area that could be a good resource for you. They might hold an info session for graduating senior girls in the new year and might also be helpful in securing recs. FYI Bama holds a sorority open house during spring semester that you should try to attend. That info will be on the Bama Panhellenic website.

Are your sisters currently collegians or are they alumnae? If they are collegians, please pm me. Thanks.

Thank you FSUZeta for all the info!

Please don't be nervous about not being from the South (although some would argue that Maryland is in the South).
60% of undergraduates at U of Alabama are OOS. In fact, there is an organization for OOS students.
3.25 IS a great GPA. Couldn't hurt to have even higher grades, so work hard and get the best grades you can!
Start compiling a list now of any sorority alumnae you run across and know. Don't be afraid to tell them that you are rushing and ask to contact them later to request a recommendation. Do this immediately after graduation, when you can compile a resume to hand them. A photo or two would be nice, plus a transcript. Those 3 things will give them all the info they need to write your rec.
Lots more info at thesororitylife.com, and a blog I like, sororitygirl101.com, that has a lot of info specific to Alabama.
Welcome! Good luck! Roll Tide!

Do I need to have letters for each sorority or could I get a few letters and send them to all the sororities? Thank you!

You need letters sent for each sorority. The alumnae do not have to be from the sorority's Alabama chapter. The alumnae send the letters to the chapter at UA. You give the alum your info. EAch sorority also has its own forms that alumnae will use - don't worry about that, the alums will know where to find them for their sorority. You could also give them a stamped envelope addressed to the sorority chapter. Addresses are available at uapanhellenic.com. That is an excellent website that you need to thoroughly read, every page! It will answer many questions.

Are you planning to go to spring preview? It will also help. Not required, tho.

Just to add, the alumnae write recs for their organizations...

ex: A Delta Zeta writes a rec letter for DZ, an Alpha Phi writes a rec letter for Alpha Phi.

A Kappa Kappa Gamma doesn't write a rec for DZ.

The recs are specific to each group. Not generic to all.

Doing everything possible to raise your GPA over these last two semesters will help strengthen your resume/rec and broaden your options -- the majority of sororities at Bama have higher-than-3.25 GPAs on college work. You can view these (as well as GPAs for new members following their first semester as such) here:

http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/documents...portSheet1.pdf

Good luck to you -- the overwhelming majority of girls participating in recruitment are OOS (73% in 2013)!


Also of interest to PNMs:

What was the Profile of the 2013 Sorority Recruitment Applicant Pool?

For fall 2013, a record 2,113 women registered for formal recruitment and 2,081 participated in the first round of recruitment known as Open House. Of those women in the Open House Pool, 563 were from Alabama and 1,518 were from Out-of-State. Of the 2,081 women in the Open House Pool, 11% (195 women) did not complete the process, of which 83 withdrew, 109 were released and 3 participated in bid matching but did NOT maximize their options. Of the 1,894 women receiving bids, 531 were from Alabama and 1,364 were from Out-of-State, for an overall Open House Pool Match Rate of 91%. The National average for women receiving a bid during formal recruitment is 79% of the Open House Pool.

• Average Cumulative High School GPA: 3.62
• Average ACT Score: 25
• Average SAT Score: 1085

http://www.uapanhellenic.com/2014-fa...cruitment.html

Panhellenic Preview at Bama is on February 28, 2015.

Some would argue that Aliens are scanning your mind through the use of Jello. Both seem equally valid to me... :)