Joining for 6 months
 

HELLO!

I am from Australia and I'm heading to the US on exchange second half of this year. I will be going to Colorado for 6 months.

I was wondering if you guys thought it would be worth pledging to join a chapter for 6 months (assuming I got in)?
Considering costs joining etc.

No. It's not worth it. First of all, if you join a chapter, it's for a lifetime, not 6 months. Your pledge period will take up 1 1/2 to 2 months of it so if you are only going to be active for say 4 months, most chapters won't want to exert the energy.

Just my opinion.

Would it be worthwhile for you? I think so. It would certainly help you acclimate to campus, give you a home, and really give you an up close and personal look at an American institution. Plus, there are alumnae in Australia.

But you do need to be upfront with the chapters so they can decide whether or not it is worth it to them. In a highly competitive system you might not get a bid. If you are honest with them then they can make their own decision. Just going through recruitment would be quite an experience, and enable you to meet a lot of girls right off the bat.

When I was an undergrad, we had 3 "study abroad" girls go through formal recruitment. Not saying it's guaranteed, but all of those women got bids. Now my chapter did in fact cut them because we felt it wasn't fair to us or the girls to only be around for a short amount of time. But the groups that did extend them bids absolutely loved them! I know my friends still keep in touch with those women and they are most certainly part of their chapter.

It is truly an "American college experience," and you will always have those bonds. I think the mentality of "only 6 months" is the problem that groups might have. It isn't a come-and-go type of thing, it is for life. Someone mentioned that there are active alumnae groups in different countries, so if it is something you can see yourself sticking with then I think it is definitely worth it. But, if you see it as something to do while you're in the US, I might pass.

I pm'd you