two questions from a local boy
 

hey all-
I'm returning to school after a brief absence (I graduated, and now I'm going back for a second ugrad degree) and I'm thinking about rushing. Now, I was in a local at my old school, which means I'm still eligible to rush an NIC fraternity.

So I've got two questions for y'all-
1) What impact would it have on your decision to give someone a bid, if they had already been in a local? (Something to keep in mind- I served as rush chair, pledge captain, treasurer, and president of my old chapter. There's not much about running a house I don't know.)

2) How would you feel if you were in a local, and one of your brothers or sisters did this? I know they'd love for me to start a second chapter, but a) there's no way I'm gonna have the time- engineering is just too demanding, and b) I've done the local thing, and it was fun, and a great learning experience, and I'd do it again and so on, but there's a lot of stuff you miss out on that I'd like to have.

So.....if y'all could gauge that and lemme know, that'd be great.

Just a question, why are you getting a second undergrad degree? Why not go to grad school?

My first degree is in linguistics, which I absolutely love, but the only real thing you can do with it is be a professor of linguistics. I've been doing grad work in it, but I've realized I just couldn't stand to do it for the rest of my life- you can only write so many papers on the syntax of Gothic before you start to lose your mind. So I'm going back to do the thing I originally went to school for, before I got into linguistics, which is engineering. And you can't just jump from linguistics to engineering- so it's back to undergrad I go.

No, you can't just jump from linguistics to engineering. That's quite a bit of work, good luck!

I don't know much about joining a national after being in a local. I would imagine neither side would be very happy with you, although you don't need to tell them you were president of your old chapter during rush, even if it is sure to come out later.

Re: two questions from a local boy
 

Are you going back to the same school for undergrad? Also, don't you feel that an engineering student seeking a second degree, that you might be better off being involved with your classes and a pre-professional society where you can network and get internships, etc.? You will be older than the other members, and might not up for some of the less-than-mature decisions that might be made.

Whoa! If you've already graduated, wouldn't you need to contact a local alumnae chapter for AI? Even if you are going back to do undergrad work, you're still doing "post" graduate work even if it's not grad school. I know at my Alma Mater, you must be an undergrad with no bachelor's degree to be allowed to rush.

He won't have to go through AI. As long as he is a full time student at the host institution, he can join, as long as the fraternoty has no problem with his situation.

Well, question #1 is: How old are you? I know that Sigma Nu, for example, will not initiate anyone as an undergrad that's under 25 years old (there are exceptions, but that's the general policy).

Secondly, as for you being a former member of a local, look at it like this: Many colonies of national organizations are formed by local groups. National organizations do not take issue with initiating local groups en masse, why should a single member be different?

You must, however, make the decision (at least in my opinion) not to be a member of the other group anymore and obtain your dismissal from them.

If you met those three criteria, and were a man of good character, I'd have you in my chapter (if I were able to make that choice anymore).

I know that rules differ greatly from NIC to NIC group, so be up front with your situation. If you fit their bill, a group will bid you.

Undergrad under 25 years old? That category falls into everybody, basically.

I meant over 25.

What I meant, not what I said;)