A Fresh Start
 

Hello Ladies,

I need some help here and I wonder if any of you can give some advice? I'd like to ask as specific a question as possible, giving as much background as possible without allowing anyone to possibly learn my identity.

I'm 21 years old and spent 2 very unsuccessful years in college. I'd always wanted to join a sorority but kept having setbacks. The fall semester of my Freshman year, my parents convinced me to sit out to make SURE that I really wanted to go to the college I chose to attend. That spring semester I started school and earned a 3.7 GPA with 17 hours. The next fall, when I would have gone through recruitment, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. My world literally shattered at my feet. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and most of all.... I couldn't attend classes. Her battle with cancer lasted roughly a year and I'm happy to say that she's now cancer free.

Through this struggle, I realized how important it is to follow your dreams and how fragile life really is. I'd always dreamed of being a makeup artist and wardrobe stylist for theatre and film and I decided to follow that dream. I am now halfway through cosmetology training. I plan to complete my theatre degree starting Spring semester of 2008. I would also like to follow my dream of being in a sorority.

So, finally, here come the questions:

* Am I too old? I'm currently 21. I know this varies largely school to school. The school I plan to attend is a small public university in the midwest. I'd be happy to give more details in a PM if you'd like to know more.

* Will those 2 AWFUL semesters count against me majorly? I know that grades are definitely taken into consideration. I had such a great start and then fell flat on my face due to my mom's illness. I'm not looking for sympathy points by ANY means (I HATE it when people do that) but I do feel that I need to explain this academic drop. I'm a smart girl and a hard worker at that.

* Though I'm not enrolled at said university yet, should I start talking to girls and diving into the greek system at that particular school?

Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. Feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to go into more detail in terms of location and such. Thanks!

Yes, grades will hurt you in a bad way. Your best bet is to find recs, and ask the women writing them to explain the situation for you.

what is your overall gpa? does it qualify you to participate in recruitment? have your checked the campus sororities websites to see if they post the minimum gpa they require?

HI SOROR
 

Good looking out with your response.:rolleyes:

GPA
 

My overall GPA went down PRETTY low. Like, 2.0-ish. I got good grades in high school and I am still close with a few of my college professors who, even though I failed their classes, know that I'm a smart girl who was just faced with a very rough year.

I don't know if this would count at ALL, seeing as I'm in a vocational school, but we do have TONS of tests and homework in cosmetology school and I currently have the best grades in my class. It works a BIT differently than a normal GPA system, seeing as we're a clock hour program and not a credit hour program, but it's equal to a 4.0 at a university. I'm almost through with my Sophmore block and I have a 98% average on all of my work.

I just pledged this past semester and I'm 21, so age is not going to be a major factor, it is more of when you are going to be graduating. As far as your GPA goes it will definitely be looked at. I know that at my school in order to join you have to have a min of a 2.0 but to be in my sorority you must hold a 2.5, so it really will vary with were you decide you want to go. Also, I would start trying and get to know the girls on your campus but outside of rush they are not going to be able to talk to you about joining.

And again...just because it wasn't a major factor for you doesn't mean it'll be the same for her. It would definitely depend on her campus, and it seems like the OP already knows that.

a 2.0 at a lot of campuses will keep you from even enrolling in recruitment-you definately will wany to check and see what the minimum gpa is at your proposed college. you will also want to try and verify(either by visiting websites or checking with the panhellenic office at the college) to see what each chapters minimum gpa is-sometimes the chapters have a higher gpa requirement than panhellenic does.

Trying to clarify something...

Are you planning to go through recruitment at a different school than the one your bad grades are from?

If you will be attending that school for the first time, you may want to clarify how your GPA for purposes of recruitment will be calculated. Many universities start you off with a clean slate as a transfer - you get credit for the hours you passed at your previous institution, but the grades themselves don't calculate into your GPA. (That said, Panhellenic may still ask you to report your GPA from your previous school even though the university doesn't use it in its calculations.) Its definitely worth inquiring about though - at least you'd know what you're getting into, and it would help you decide whether or not to sign up for recruitment.

That's very true. My best guess? I don't know the GPA minimums for all sororities, obviously, but I'm going to venture that a 2.0 is going to be too low for most -- if not all -- sororities on your new campus. I know that's not what you wanted to hear and I do feel bad for you because of your rough circumstances, but that's really my best, honest guess. But really, nobody can tell you for sure, so maybe you should find out the number for the Greek advisor/Greek Life office at your new school and ask them about GPA minimums for the individual chapters.

I went through a similar event one year in school. My grades were hurt by it too, and although the professors at my university were sympathetic, the advisors of my sorority found their hands tied when it came to my position as an officer. I had to resign an office because of a family tragedy that left me understandably distressed.

They are bound by rules dictating minimum GPAs for all kinds of things, including joining in your case, so if your GPA is too low for the sororities on your campus, there's nothing you can do about it but get your grades up and try rushing then.