Question about Juniors rushing at UC schools...

bejazd · #1 05-30-2007, 12:17 PM

Several of the community colleges in my area offer programs that guarantee a student's admission to the nearest University of Calif (UC) campus (which is very tough to get into) if you follow their plan and take all the required courses to transfer. It's a really attractive program for good students graduating from HS who might have the grades but not the money to enter a UC campus as a frosh, or who might have been accepted to UC, but redirected to a campus that was not their first or second choice.

Which leads me to think that there are a lot of outstanding women that are probably taking advantage of these programs at the CCs and transferring to UCs at juniors. Do juniors have a fair shot rushing at UC campuses these days?

and I'm wondering if CCs ar offering similar programs in other parts of the country too, where it's tough to get into the public universities??

dukemama · #2 05-30-2007, 12:26 PM

This is an interesting question. Although I'm not in CA, I'd be curious to know the answer, too, since it's pretty difficult to get into Penn State's main campus right out of high school even if you're an in-stater (as I am). Many students have to start out at their local Penn State satellite schools before transferring to the main campus, usually after sophomore year.

KSUViolet06 · #3 05-31-2007, 12:39 AM

We actually have a similar situation at my school (Kent State, the 2nd largest university system in OH). It recently just raised its admissions standards, so students who might not have the best grades sometimes have to start out at one of the 8 branch campuses and transfer in (you're guaranteed admission if you go to a branch for 2 years and maintain a 2.5). We end up with alot of junior transfers rushing too.

SoCalGirl · #4 05-31-2007, 02:06 AM

Speaking for UCSD, junior transfers have litte extra difficulty with rush. Before anyone asks, the rush apps that I saw distinguished between a 3rd year and 3rd year transfer student.

bruinaphi · #5 05-31-2007, 02:51 AM

Juniors are generally fairly successful with recruitment at UC schools. Many of the UCs have junior quotas and those who do not still place a large percentage of the juniors who participate in formal recruitment. It is normal to find a large number of sophomores and juniors participating in recruitment on these campuses in general. This is also true at USC, but to a lesser degree.

TrojanWoman · #6 06-01-2007, 02:51 PM

Back in the day at USC we had a specific number of Juniors that we were able to take above our other quota. Basically, a junior quota. It wasn't very high but I did know a lot of juniors who didn't have a problem getting into the sorority of their choice . . . both transfers and juniors who had waited to rush.

vepeters · #7 06-04-2007, 05:42 AM

Here at UC Davis we don't judge on grade. In fact, we will take Seniors, too. We judge on the personality only. Actually, we have a rule in my sorority that we can't judge on grade level, but we should have pay special attention to freshmen since they will be around the longest. It is a really popular option to transfer from a community college or junior college in CA and rush as a junior.

GPhiB_007 · #8 06-08-2007, 05:38 PM

At Berkeley, Juniors don't count towards quota (only freshmen and sophomores do) so it is definitely not more difficult to receive a bid. I know at least a few girls who pledged as juniors. It definitely is more about personality and whether the girl clicks with a sorority than anything.

gphiangel624 · #9 06-11-2007, 01:22 AM

Juniors (including junior transfers) at UC Riverside tend to have the same chances as any other student. They do count toward quota still, but as there are really not that many of them that go through recruitment, it isn't often a problem for them.

PeppyGPhiB · #10 06-11-2007, 01:36 AM

I'd say the most competitive rush in Calif. is at USC, which is not a UC school. I wouldn't say the UC schools have extremely competitive recruitments where grade would hurt you...in fact, as others have said, being a junior on a campus with "free juniors" might actually be a good thing.

Esquared333 · #11 06-14-2007, 06:35 PM

Graduating from UCI last year and joining a sorority my junior year, I can say from a first hand experience that you are given a fair chance during recruitment.

Sure, a young freshman has "4 years" to dedicate to the prospective chapter, BUT I have seem some transfer students really become leaders in the Greek Community at UCI. It's especially important for transfer students to have that initial connection with the campus they are transferring to because they, unlike students who started as freshman, usually have no connections with the students and campus. So, I would say go for it!