Almost64's Recruitment Thread (at an SEC school)
 

Hey Ladies,

First off, this forum has been SO helpful for me! Great tips! I knew nothing about sororities before this. I go to an SEC school with delayed rush, so it doesn't formally start until January, but we've had practice rounds and such to let us know what the process is like. I'll say the name later (I'm not sure if it's allowed?), but it's probably pretty obvious where I go.

I came to my school not really sure if I was going to rush. I ended up not really making many friends from my dorm or from classes, and I really want to make genuinely good friends in college and not just have the ones I had from high school. So I'm rushing.

Both of my parents are European and were educated in Europe and have no idea about Greek life and think it's just about boozing up. Likewise, they really don't have any non-immigrant friends, and I didn't really know anyone in a sorority before coming here. Thus, I have NO RECS. Bad idea? Probably, but what can you do? To be honest, I just can't compete with all these girls that get numerous recs for ALL sororities and have legacies to several chapters, but we'll see how it goes. I have no legacies, no recs, and heck, I don't even really know anyone IN one.

Chapters on campus (hah given fruit names):

Apples
Raspberries
Pears
Cherries
Blueberries
Oranges
Peaches
Strawberries
Grapes
Plums

From fall rounds, I got a feeling of chapters that I really liked (raspberries, peaches, plums, and cherries), but I'm not going to really discount anyone because fall rounds were so short (only 15 minutes in each house).

Anyways, wish me luck! I definitely need it. They say that everyone here who "maximizes their options" will get a bid somewhere, but rush is soooooo competitive here. I think sororities are a great way to meet people and make lasting friendships, so we'll see where I end up!

yay im excited!! another rush thread!! good luck and be yourself..we all look forward to ur story!

&uotI believe, if I'm not mistaken, that if you contact the HQs of the sororities at your school, they will find you an alum in the area you live who will meet with you and write you a rec. So you don't have to go in at a total disadvantage.
Also, it's lovely to see another immigrant go through. Where are you from? My parents (mostly my mother) don't understand greek life either and my mum was pretty much convinced it was just like you see on tv.

Good luck! Have fun!

Recs
 

I assume this is Vanderbilt. I would also talk to the people in the Vanderbilt Greek Life office. I think they could give you some advise. Don't wait, do it ASAP as rush is comming up very fast.

Yep, this is Vanderbilt!

And eek, I forgot who asked, but my parents are German.

Anyway, I'm really mad at myself now for not looking at recs sooner! I thought about trying to get some earlier in the year, but my Greek Ambassador (other schools' equivalents of Rho Chi, I think?), said that they really aren't necessary and it really doesn't hurt you if you don't have them, blah blah. Ah, the process was soooo confusing. Then she said that if a chapter wants a rec for you, they'll get one and that it's not your responsibility, which I didn't really understand but was too much of a shy freshman to ask about. So I was like "ok dont have to do anything," and then later found out that EVERYONE seems to have a whole portfolio organized.

Thanks for the links! I'll try contacting them, and I guess we'll see if anything comes out of it. I'm cutting it pretty close, maybe too close.

/mini hijack

Hahaha..sorry I just had to say that i'm proud of myself. Even though I pretty much know nothing about SEC schools, I knew that almost64 was talking about Vandy! YAY *applause* for me! lol.

/end mini hijack

Don't count on the chapters getting the recs for you. Now that you know how to go about it, do the leg work and get them yourself. Call it showing initiative and that you want to be there.

I really, really hate it that many PNMs get told this! They said the same thing when I registered for rush, and dummy me turned down several recs because I assumed that they weren't necessary. After all, the brochure Panhellenic sent out said it was so! Not everyone is coached practically from birth on how to have a successful rush and it's not fair to assume that PNMs will just automatically know what a rec is or how to get one. At some schools it doesn't make too big a difference--everything ended up OK for me--but on other campuses it's a completely different story. Please don't feel bad that you didn't secure recs earlier...how were you supposed to know?

I wish Panhellenics would be a little more forthcoming about this kind of thing instead of just saying, "Oh, don't worry! If they like you enough, they'll get a rec for you!"

FYI, it is considered bad form to announce at which school a PNM is rushing, if she does not mention it.

FYI: I didn't not announce the school before the PNM mentioned it. Someone else mentioned it...and the PNM affirmed the school before I said anything.

Good Luck Almost64!

I can sympathize!!! I am also rushing this spring and I'm as nervous as can be!!!!

I added you to the list

If she was really concerned about that, she wouldn't have mentioned the following:

-SEC
-Deferred rush