GPA

danarose · #1 05-24-2011, 06:53 PM

Okay, I am aware that some of you are going to maybe be annoyed at me posting this here, but I am stressing out about this a lot actually and I could really use some advice.

I am a rising junior and I want to do recruitment this fall so badly. But my freshman year grades were just horrible due to a family member's death and just a few other family problems. However, my sophomore year grades are much, much better, but I still don't have a good overall gpa. So this summer I'm retaking a few classes. I've been working so hard to get my grades up to do both recruitment and to be able to become an RA at my school.

Now, if I do well in these three summer classes, there is no question that my gpa will be slightly above a 2.5. My question is, do you think a sorority will give me a bid with a gpa so low? It's not very competitive at my school and I know that I can raise my gpa even more, the workload isn't a problem. And should I explain myself and my poor grades and how hard I've been working at recruitment?

AOII Angel · #2 05-24-2011, 07:03 PM

Considering that you are a junior and only have a 2.5 GPA, joining a sorority is probably not in your best interest. The likelihood that a group would take a chance on you will vary depending on your campus, but in most instances, this is very unlikely. You're a huge grade risk if your GPA is a 2.5 AFTER taking 3 summer school classes that you THINK you'll do well in. Honestly, you are in school to get an education. From your post, you sound like you are trying to bite off more than you can chew...join a sorority, become a RA, raise your GPA. Concentrate on the most important one, the GPA.

KSUViolet06 · #3 05-24-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarose

Okay, I am aware that some of you are going to maybe be annoyed at me posting this here, but I am stressing out about this a lot actually and I could really use some advice.

I am a rising junior and I want to do recruitment this fall so badly. But my freshman year grades were just horrible due to a family member's death and just a few other family problems. However, my sophomore year grades are much, much better, but I still don't have a good overall gpa. So this summer I'm retaking a few classes. I've been working so hard to get my grades up to do both recruitment and to be able to become an RA at my school.

Now, if I do well in these three summer classes, there is no question that my gpa will be slightly above a 2.5. My question is, do you think a sorority will give me a bid with a gpa so low? It's not very competitive at my school and I know that I can raise my gpa even more, the workload isn't a problem. And should I explain myself and my poor grades and how hard I've been working at recruitment?

We can't say for sure if a chapter will give you a bid.

I will say this though: every chapter has a minimum GPA that a woman must meet in order to be extended a bid. They vary depending on the chapter and your school. If you don't meet that, you should expect to be released by that chapter.

I'm sorry for you loss, but just above a 2.5 is really low in the grand scheme of sorority minimums. You may have an uphill battle just because the majority of PNMs in recruitment will have higher GPAs than you. That, and depending on the chapters at your school, you may not even meet the GPA requirements to get a bid (example: if every chapter on your campus requires a 2.75 or higher, you'd be out of luck.)

And can I be honest here? You're in college to get an education. At my alma mater, depending on the program, you can't even GRADUATE with a 2.5. Work on your grades.

danarose · #4 05-24-2011, 07:06 PM

Ah, okay. Thank you guys.

DeltaBetaBaby · #5 05-24-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarose

Okay, I am aware that some of you are going to maybe be annoyed at me posting this here, but I am stressing out about this a lot actually and I could really use some advice.

I am a rising junior and I want to do recruitment this fall so badly. But my freshman year grades were just horrible due to a family member's death and just a few other family problems. However, my sophomore year grades are much, much better, but I still don't have a good overall gpa. So this summer I'm retaking a few classes. I've been working so hard to get my grades up to do both recruitment and to be able to become an RA at my school.

Now, if I do well in these three summer classes, there is no question that my gpa will be slightly above a 2.5. My question is, do you think a sorority will give me a bid with a gpa so low? It's not very competitive at my school and I know that I can raise my gpa even more, the workload isn't a problem. And should I explain myself and my poor grades and how hard I've been working at recruitment?

I don't know if a sorority will give you a bid with such a low GPA, and as a junior. Nobody else on here knows. If you want to go through recruitment and find out, I recommend the following:

1) Find alumnae of the sororities to write you recs. Explain to them your GPA situation, and your concerns. Hopefully, they will empathize with your situation, and vouch for you with the chapter.

2) Be willing to visit all parties for every chapter. The strongest chapters probably don't want a 2.5, and will probably cut you early. It's very possible you'd have only one or two invitations after the first round, and that they'll be chapters less popular with the PNMs.

3) Don't do it unless you are totally certain that you can handle the possibility of being released from recruitment entirely. If no invitations will devastate you, don't do it.

danarose · #6 05-24-2011, 07:24 PM

Okay, thanks. I think I'm going to just go through recruitment and see what happens. I'm okay with being turned away, I just don't want to look back and wish that I had done it.

Alumiyum · #7 05-24-2011, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarose

Okay, thanks. I think I'm going to just go through recruitment and see what happens. I'm okay with being turned away, I just don't want to look back and wish that I had done it.

That's a good attitude to have. Just make sure you're concentrating on school above all else, and make sure you have everything else in order. On some campuses, like others have said, it won't be possible to receive a bid with that GPA. On others it might (chapters occasionally take grade risks on my campus for instance, but as I understand it that's the exception to the rule), but certainly you'll need to make sure everything else balances out the grades. Get your recs, practice conversation skills, and work on your resume.

psusue · #8 05-24-2011, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarose

Okay, thanks. I think I'm going to just go through recruitment and see what happens. I'm okay with being turned away, I just don't want to look back and wish that I had done it.

I think this is a good attitude to have. You have nothing to lose by going through recruitment, except some time and a little money, but you won't know unless you give it a try.

As others have said, you are in school to get an education, and if time management is difficult for you, forget about being in a sorority and being an RA. Speaking as someone who has done it, it is quite difficult and your grades could suffer because you are spread so thin. However it can also be done and done well, as we have several women in my chapter who have been RA's, active sorority women, and have high GPAs. It just depends.

Also, speaking solely for my chapter and its requirements, we have bid girls before who are grade risks (i.e. just above a 2.5 as that is our national standard). So it is possible if the women like you that they'll take a chance on you. But it cannot be said for sure. Like you said, try it, try to get recs if possible, talk about your grades (and their upward trend) in the most positive way possible, but don't dwell on. Make sure that your activities are in order as well as your outfits, conversation, etc so as to put your best foot forward during recruitment (we tell this to all PNMs, but this could be especially important for you). Be ready to consider all chapters and make an effort to make a good impression at each of them. And let us know how it goes! If you have any questions, PM me and I would be glad to talk to you about them. Good luck to you.

danarose · #9 05-24-2011, 09:05 PM

Thank you guys so much. I actually just did the math and if I do as well as I know that I can, I have the potential to raise my overall gpa to a 2.7-2.8 this summer, praying that nothing seriously bad happens. The worst that can happen with recruitment is that I don't get any bids, right? I'm okay with that as long as I know that I've tried. Seriously, you guys made me feel a lot better about it, so thanks. I'll let you know how this summer goes and how recruitment goes in the fall!

Alumiyum · #10 05-24-2011, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarose

Thank you guys so much. I actually just did the math and if I do as well as I know that I can, I have the potential to raise my overall gpa to a 2.7-2.8 this summer, praying that nothing seriously bad happens. The worst that can happen with recruitment is that I don't get any bids, right? I'm okay with that as long as I know that I've tried. Seriously, you guys made me feel a lot better about it, so thanks. I'll let you know how this summer goes and how recruitment goes in the fall!

Yep, at the end of the day that's the worst that happens...so definitely go for it. For sure come back and let us know how recruitment goes!