Quote:
Originally Posted by AnchorAlum
Not surprising.
If you have not lived in Texas, especially in one of the big cities and been involved with Alumnae Panhellenic in securing recs as I was for years, you wouldn't believe it.
It all starts with what summer camp you go to every year as a little kid, then when you're a junior in High School you make your way to Austin for Roundup, where sorority girls are coming up to ask your name and where you are from, what HS, etc. (this happened to my daughter, who did not want go to UT) and then you go to the Panhellenic rush forums in your hometown.
The professional portfolio photographs, the letters, recs. It's unbelievable.
I did this as an Alumnae Panhellenic volunteer all through the 90's and looking back on the experience I just have to laugh. All the other Texas schools were heavy on recs but it was not a cut and dried issue like the process in Austin.
One of the challenges is that these particular houses might have up to 100 legacies to their chapter going through rush. There is no way that they only take legacies. The emotional disaster some of the mothers suffer is frankly ridiculous. "OMG how will she EVER get into Junior League if she is not in so-and-so!" Moms who sort of figure out that their daughter may not be a fit for their house at UT will then send their girl to another school (discussed in another thread) where their GLO is not perhaps so strong so she can be a strong candidate for pledging. At least she is not relegated to **shudder** having to pledge some house that is not as special at UT as her house was...
Hey, I was super naïve and thought my GLO was just wonderful everywhere. Such is the thinking of an active! When my husband's corporate moves meant we lived in other parts of the country and I joined alumnae groups to meet people, it was an eye-opener. Other groups that were not all that strong at my Alma Mater were super strong in places like, well, Texas.
It all comes out in the wash, doesn't it? And you meet so many wonderful women from every group. I loved every minute of my Panhellenic experiences working with those ladies. That's why I like this site. We're all from different parts of the country and from different GLO's and I just enjoy the shared experiences.
|
I did not see this when I lived in San Antonio, where my daughter graduated from high school and chose UT. Thankfully, she didn't want to rush.
I was active in the alumnae group, but I guess no one ever considered I wouldn't know the deal. DD never went to camp, or Roundup, and I never gave a thought that all the groups were as good as mine.
The flip side, though, was that I only saw
one sorority woman in the whole time I was there put down another group. She came through the airport when we were greeting Convention attendees, and *literally* lifted her nose in the air with her finger while announcing the name of *her* group. It did not make me look kindly upon them ....