[AOIIalum]

Wow, you really are in a bind aren't you? It's so hard for our friends to realize that we can't just "get them in" our sororities when there are extenuating circumstances involved. At least with grades, often it's pretty cut and dried, although not always pleasant.

Hopefully she understands that it's not necessarily *her* that's keeping her out of a sorority, but her low grades. Since you are her best friend, maybe you can answer this and help her understand. Is it possible that she had one really REALLY bad semester early in her college career, but has earned good grades in all of her other semesters? If she had good grades coming out of high school and has earned a good GPA in other college terms (like a 3.0 or better, or equal/higher to all-sorority average, get the idea) perhaps she would be able to pledge somewhere. It depends on how Panhellenic would consider that situation and how close she is to the required GPA.

Is there anything on your formal recruitment application that says what the GPA requirement on your campus, something like "A minimum GPA at or better than 2.50 is required by all sororities on our campus. You will not be allowed to pledge without a minimum 2.50, although you may participate in the week's activities." If so, hopefully she reads it and understands. Also, hopefully the Panhellenic Recruitment staff really impresses upon the PNMs that the lower their GPA, the lower their chances are of pledging anywhere. Does Panhellenic have a sliding GPA system, where it's a 2.50 minimum for Freshman, and maybe a 2.45 for Sophomores and a 2.40 for Juniors and higher?

Other than that, and you may have already done this, is to just gently remind her that all of the chapters on your campus have strict GPA requirements and aren't allowed to extend a bid to anyone under the minimum GPA. Make sure she understands this includes AOII and there's nothing you or anyone other than her can do to change it. Make sure she realizes that her chances of receiving a bid from any of the sororities are low/non-existant because she doesn't have the minimum GPA. Maybe encourage her to talk honestly and openly with her Recruitment Counselor about her GPA and assess her chances? It's so hard, especially when the girl would be an asset to our sisterhood!

I've seen an instance before of someone who was going through Formal Recruitment her sophomore year, but her GPA was low due to a variety of family issues the prior semester. Her high-school and other college grades were excellent, just that one semester really pulled her down. Luckily, she was able to pledge and maintained great grades from then on.

Hope some of this helps, feel free to PM me if you'd like more info. Good luck!!!

Roses,
Christin