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Originally Posted by BeachMom
Dear rs086872,
I understand the frustration that you have as this happened to my daughter as well when she went through recruitment at UGA during her freshman year. I just hope they've changed things a bit so that your daughter did not get the phone call at 2:?? a.m. on that Saturday morning to inform her that she had been "released from recruitment." The thought of the recruitment system at UGA makes my stomach flip each fall. That precious young women are subjected to the humiliation of getting up at 6 a.m. to meet their Pi Chi (or whatever they're called) to be in front of a group of women who will in 20-40 minutes decide if they want to invite them back (as well as the sororities know some girls they already want to get to know better) is down right cruel. These are 19-22 year olds deciding this....the brain doesn't fully develop until a little later. I think the Navy used to call it running the gaunlet......
That being said (and to calm down some of the readers) it is a system that over time has proven itself. And as systems go, it is not perfect. Georgia's sorority homes are like eye candy to these young women and they all do a great job of promoting themselves during the week. While returning to recruitment (should she desire) as a sophomore is an option, it is no guarantee and the odds are not really that great even with the UC quota. Lot of very qualified transfers are admitted in at UGA in addition to any upper classmen who make the decision to go through recruitment. I know because my DD tried again....and she's no slacker of a student, etc., etc., etc., and graduated this Spring, double major, magna cum laude, and headed to DC to begin work with a consulting firm on September 8th. I've often thought it is easier to get into UGA than to join a sorority there. Can you believe that?!
But now back to your DD....she is a precious young woman, she is important, she matters to the world, and she is loved by you. There isn't a trio of Greek letters out there that can substitute that. What can she take from all of this? Life can suck at times and then you move on. It's also about relationships that you develop with other people...you mentioned she was shy...maybe this experience will encourage her to put herself out there a bit more. I'm not going to lie, it was painful as hell both times and the production in Athens up and down Milledge (and Lumpkin) on Monday night will be tough. Give it a few weeks and then it will begin to die down. There are many great organizations at Georgia that need new members each year.
Can Georgia improve their process? I think so. To slap this right up against first day of classes, the focus for all moving in last week was "I'm hear for recruitment" and if you weren't, then it was "what the heck are all those buses doing moving girls from house to house?" That's just one idea.....I have some others that I'll keep to myself.
Sorry for such a ramble. I wish the best to you and your daughter.....
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I 100% understand what you are saying but the base of disappointment in ANY Greek System during recruitment, IN MY OPINION, is our societal norm that we never allow children to fail. Trophies for every kid, ribbons for everyone one who isn't first, second, or third, etc. Some of these girls walk through doors of these houses never having had experienced major life disappointments. They arrive at the college they wanted, in the car they wanted and are staying in the dorm they wanted. When that is the case and it is coupled with a disappointing recruitment, it is a perfect storm and a horrible way to start a new chapter of one's life. I certainly do not have the solution, but I do believe this is a huge part of the issue when it comes to how the disappointment is handled. I see it every year. The girls that are actually released, the girls that "self" release and the girls that simply cannot accept that her bid card says ABC instead of DEF. You could literally line up the majority of women in the majority of houses, strip their letters, shuffle them up and you would never know the difference. Because of that in the deep part of the brain that is our reasoning sector, the girls have to realize it was not personal, no matter how it feels.