Informationals....
 

Does it matter if you go to School A, but go to an Informational at School B held by a sorority that has chapters at both schools?

While what an "informational" is varies from org to org and campus to campus, I am certain that it will do you no good to attend another chapter's informational.

That might only work if your school has NO chapter. My friend who became a Zeta while at Georgetown went to an informational at another school.

K... thanks!

How do you become a member of an org that isn't at your school? I've heard of this but never understood it.

Suggest you ask them and see what they say.

There are two policies going on here:

University policy
Organization policy

A university won't generally dictate what you do with your free time, so you can pledge an "off-campus" chapter of an organization without a problem.

BUT, you can only do this if the organization allows it. For example, at my alma mater (which didn't recognize Greek life) students would either pledge official chapters of AEPi and I think SAE (both have chapters of ONLY Georgetown men) or pledge NPHC organizations that are either city-wide, metropolitan, or core chapters.

Alpha Phi Alpha, for example, has a metropolitan chapter. The chapter was chartered at American for also includes men from Georgetown, George Washington, and Catholic University. But there is another school in DC (Southeastern University) which does not have a chapter. If those men wanted to be initiated into the metro chapter, there would have to be official means taken to add SEU to the chapter's charter.

Also, the chapter will have to apply for "recognition" or "access to benefits" at each school where they wish to hold activities. At Georgetown, this could never happen. Metro/city-wide/core chapters sometimes have problems if most or all of their members attend a non/anti Greek school but the charter is held at a school where there are no members.

SOMETIMES the school will allow the chapter to proceed with activities. Other times, they can't justify non-students having access to university benefits.

So that's how it "works" -- often with great difficulty. but it works.

wow...thank you for the explanation!

THAT answers my question from the other thread! Thanks (finally)!

You're absolutely welcome. I realize you are new to Greek life. You asked your question humbly and without any hint of judgment. Therefore, I was happy to answer.

Good luck to you in your endeavors!

WOW I am impressed, nicely put!!!!:)

In my org, yes.

In my organization, I think it might be helpful to attend the informational at School B, (helpful in the sense that it would add to one's knowledge of the sorority and what types of activities various chapters host/participate in). In this case, a woman should let the sisters know that she is NOT a current student at School B, but seeking information and plans to attend the session at School A. She would still be required to attend an informational at School A if that's where she is hoping to pursue membership.

The LGLOs in my area were/are the same way. (Especially since the members and alumni usually help each other out anyway.)

^Very true. It is pretty much the norm for sisters from several different chapters to be present at an informational on a particular campus. The "host" chapter will make the formal presentation, but always make time for sisters from other chapters to talk about what their own chapters are doing and/or make announcements about upcoming events. I think it helps applicants gain a better understanding of how the sorority is more than just the chapter they want to join.

Also, can you explain more about "great difficulty"? I'm genuinely interested in learning more about how metro-wide/district wide chapters work, especially if they have members from schools that do not recognize greeks. My undergrad and current grad schools are both huge greek supporters, so I've never had to see if the other point of view. There were a few NPHC orgs on my campus that had no members from our school, and some had to travel over an hour each week to attend our council meetings, etc., and I was wondering how metro chapters function.