Both of these actually sound like our inactive status. Inactive status must be applied for and voted on by the chapter, except in extreme circumstances. This can be taken at any time but only for two semesters.
So, if you got sick your jr year instead of your senior year then you could take it, but after you come back to the chapter.
I think a lot of times it gets given the title "early alum" because the women that are given it are graduating seniors. That was usually the case with the women I worked with, they were student teaching, interning etc.
Just FYI, NPC frowns on the idea of given women in their last semester inactive or "alum" status without valid reason expressly for the reason that chapters will do it so they can COB when they shouldn't. Of course I think it has just recently come to be something noticed by NPC (last couple of years).
