[Griffins&Quills]

When A LOT of PNMs go through recruitment, and the chapters have to narrow down very quickly who they invite back to the next round, after meeting each PNM for only maybe 20 or 30 minutes, low grades are the first and easiest way they cut. It's not really personal, per se, but why should any chapter take on an average PNM who is viewed as a grade risk, when they have SO many other options who aren't grade risks?

Chapters have a national minimum (usually ~2.5 to participate in recruitment) but many chapters have requirements that are even higher than that. It is possible to get a bid when you're a grade risk, but you REALLY have to impress and be ready to handle major cuts. On this, I speak from experience, because I got really sick my freshman year of college right before finals and tanked two of them. And when I went through recruitment I got cut hard. Luckily the chapter that had been my top chapter way before recruitment even started kept me, but I still had to work really hard to be extra charming. Still though, I was disappointed that other chapters I could've seen myself in cut me. It's just not an easy position to be in.

Just because Amanda Active in ABC says something doesn't make it true. She can't speak for the whole chapter or the intricate policies of every group.

You could get lucky, but I wouldn't count on it. We can't say for sure.

Did your rec writers explain the illness in their recs? Because if there was no mention of it, chapters will just think you didn't study enough or whatever such have you.

So, do you rush as a freshman (when it's more advantageous) but with a low GPA, which will probably result in heavy cuts, or do you work really hard this next year and get really good college GPA and rush as a sophmore that hasn't gone through recruitment before?

As people have stated, it's advisable to wait. There are others more familiar with Ole Miss than I am, but you have to consider that at some competitive campuses, once cut = always cut. You can try, but be prepared to be cut.