2.4 GPA- should I even bother?

[80sbabe]

I'm going to be a freshman at an SEC school. My high school GPA is a 2.43. There are several reasons why it is so low, but to sum it up: I was not interested in school and skipped a lot of class. I feel like I make up for it other areas, though- my ACT score is a 32, I was involved in lots of extracurricular and community service, I am a legacy, and I feel like I am attractive, sociable, and present myself well. I am very very committed to making GREAT grades in college, but I know most sororities will not want to take a grade risk.

I know I will get cut automatically from most, if not all sororities because of my grades. Is it even worth it to go through recruitment?

[Griffins&Quills]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that your GPA is under the minimum GPA set by Nationals for all of the panhellenic sororities. You sound like you've rededicated yourself to school and in my opinion, I think you should really focus on your freshman year and get your grades really up to par and get involved on campus and rush your sophomore year.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Griffins&Quills

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that your GPA is under the minimum GPA set by Nationals for all of the panhellenic sororities. You sound like you've rededicated yourself to school and in my opinion, I think you should really focus on your freshman year and get your grades really up to par and get involved on campus and rush your sophomore year.

This sounds pretty accurate. If there are any NPC sororities (assuming you want to join an NPC) with a nationally-required minimum GPA below 2.4, there aren't many. Anyone here will tell you that your freshman year is your best bet to get into a sorority at a competitive SEC school. However, your GPA is especially low by sorority standards. Even if a sorority has a nationally-set minimum of, for example, a 2.5 GPA, a particular chapter of that sorority may determine that their minimum is 3.0. And at a school with hundreds and hundreds of girls rushing, it's easy to initially cut those who are below that minimum and still be left with a large group of girls to select from.

I think most (if not all) people here will advise you to wait. Work your butt off in school and improve your GPA. Then go for it next year.

Here's a thread that was just recently started with a question regarding GPA that might help you and provide you with more information:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=134879

[80sbabe]

Thank you for the advice. I have done some research and have not found any exact GPA requirements for the NPC, but I'm well aware that they exist and I am certain to be under them. However, I feel like three things might help me out: a) my ACT score, which shows that I am intelligent and capable, b) my legacy status (I know it doesn't mean much but at least it's something), and c) I have already been accepted to a prestigious leadership program on campus.

Anyway, I haven't signed up for recruitment or sent any recs, but I have contacted an alumni from every sorority just in case. Should I participate in rush just so I can meet people, and keep my fingers crossed? Do you think the three above factors could work a miracle for me?

[Griffins&Quills]

Again, someone can correct me if I'm misinformed....
To address your points:
a) During rush, they don't look at your SAT or ACT scores, at least not that I've ever heard of. And yes, you may be intelligent, but there are other girls who are also intelligent and capable who have proven it with higher GPAs
b) I don't know enough to accurately comment about legacy status
c) And being accepted to the leadership program is great, but especially at a competitive SEC school, I don't think it would be enough.

As ASTalumna said, National offices set GPA minimums, but individual campuses/chapters may require higher than that national minimum depending on the campus culture. RARELY exceptions can be made if you are a grade risk and have a GPA slightly under what an individual chapter desires if you really really wow them. The problem is that you are below the national minimum, therefore chapters have no choice but to release you. Not to be harsh, but merely to put it in perspective, at an extremely competitive school with so many girls going through rush, why should any chapter bother to take someone with such a low GPA when there are so many other "shining star" contenders who do have the grades?

In my personal opinion, because you are almost definitely going to be released, I think it's not only a waste of money to rush, but I don't feel that girls should rush just to meet people without the intent and actual possibility of joining because should you be invited back to another round, only to be dropped the next day for grades, you could be taking the spot of another girl who really did want to be there.

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Thank you for the advice. I have done some research and have not found any exact GPA requirements for the NPC, but I'm well aware that they exist and I am certain to be under them. However, I feel like three things might help me out: a) my ACT score, which shows that I am intelligent and capable, b) my legacy status (I know it doesn't mean much but at least it's something), and c) I have already been accepted to a prestigious leadership program on campus.

Anyway, I haven't signed up for recruitment or sent any recs, but I have contacted an alumni from every sorority just in case. Should I participate in rush just so I can meet people, and keep my fingers crossed? Do you think the three above factors could work a miracle for me?

I am an active at an SEC school and can honestly say I think you should wait. No one cares what your ACT score was. Your high school GPA speaks for itself. It's almost worse that your test score is high because it shows that you don't bother. Not trying to be mean but just honest here. There are a bazillion beautiful, qualified, involved and darling PNMs with good to spectacular GPAs and no one is going to waste an invite for one of them by taking a chance on you. They probably couldn't even if they wanted to because if you do not even meet a bare minimum national GPA then you'd pretty much would have to be a famous person or something for someone to go out of their way to get some kind of special permission if that's even allowed. No one has time for that in an SEC rush. Also you might want to know that with some sororities at competitive schools, once they have cut you, they will always cut you if you go through again. So don't waste your possible only chance right off the bat because you have grades that don't even make a bare minimum. It's also honestly kind of late to be getting your letters in at this point especially considering your grade issue.

Prove yourself your first year in school and get great grades not only for recruitment but most of all for yourself. Get involved on campus and meet a lot of people and make good friendships and some of those may even include sorority members. Make yourself in the best position you can be in even if you are a sophomore.

[80sbabe]

Where I'm from, ACT scores are on transcripts and academic resumes- perhaps that is not the norm? But thank you very much for your advice and honesty.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Thank you for the advice. I have done some research and have not found any exact GPA requirements for the NPC, but I'm well aware that they exist and I am certain to be under them. However, I feel like three things might help me out: a) my ACT score, which shows that I am intelligent and capable, b) my legacy status (I know it doesn't mean much but at least it's something), and c) I have already been accepted to a prestigious leadership program on campus.

Anyway, I haven't signed up for recruitment or sent any recs, but I have contacted an alumni from every sorority just in case. Should I participate in rush just so I can meet people, and keep my fingers crossed? Do you think the three above factors could work a miracle for me?

In an SEC recruitment setting, being below the chapter minimum GPA might get you by if you know a lot of sisters and if they just HAVE to have you as a sister. If you're going in knowing no one, and you have a GPA below the national minimum, you don't have much of a chance.. if you have one at all.

I can say with almost 100% certainty that if you're below the minimum national GPA for all sororities, nothing will get you in. I'm sorry if that sounds a little harsh, but it's the truth. This is probably one of those rare instances where people can generally provide you with your "chances" of receiving a bid.

ETA: And as has been said, sororities on a national level do not take SAT/ACT scores into account. Whether they do on a chapter level, I couldn't tell you. I don't believe any chapters receive your actual transcripts, but I could be wrong...

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Where I'm from, ACT scores are on transcripts and academic resumes- perhaps that is not the norm? But thank you very much for your advice and honesty.

I think it would be wrong to assume what each chapter sees and the format they see it in.

[DubaiSis]

The system under which NPC member selection works (and I think I can generalize based on LOTS of information here) is grade cuts are based on gpa only. The transcript is there to prove what you say is true, not to gauge actual intelligence.

I would NOT rush now because the only outcome you can have is negative. I don't see any scenario where they will accept you, but I can definitely see a scenario where someone is drawn to saying something like "can you believe she even THOUGHT she could join a sorority? What a doof" and once something like that is out there, it can't be undone.

Do as suggested above, and even after just one semester you can try to pledge through informal rush in the spring. Your college grades are the only thing that matter once you have a college gpa, so a really solid 1st semester will be enough, at least where grades count. IF you can get good grades (and I'd shoot for a 3.0+ based on what I've read here) AND be involved on campus and make friends with a variety of sorority women, you could have a positive outcome in just a few short months.

As far as your education, let me give you a couple nuggets based on personal history. DON'T SKIP CLASS. Also, join study groups. That is beneficial for a variety of reasons, better understanding of the class material being the most obvious, but making friends outside your dorm (a wider range of friends) shouldn't be underestimated. Use any study guides you can get your hands on. My first semester freshman year grades sucked because I really didn't understand what they were looking for in my essay tests of which I seemed to have tons. If I'd seen previous tests I would have had a firmer grasp of what the professor was looking for, beyond material knowledge.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Thank you for the advice. I have done some research and have not found any exact GPA requirements for the NPC, but I'm well aware that they exist and I am certain to be under them. However, I feel like three things might help me out: a) my ACT score, which shows that I am intelligent and capable, b) my legacy status (I know it doesn't mean much but at least it's something), and c) I have already been accepted to a prestigious leadership program on campus.

Anyway, I haven't signed up for recruitment or sent any recs, but I have contacted an alumni from every sorority just in case. Should I participate in rush just so I can meet people, and keep my fingers crossed? Do you think the three above factors could work a miracle for me?

(warning: mom lecture)
At a number of SEC schools, your ACT score, accompanied by your activities and a decent GPA -- even like a 3.5 at some schools, would have likely made you eligible for a full 4-year ride. You have a clean slate entering college now -- write a different story this time around!

As to your question about what may help you:

a) What your ACT score conveys about your capability may render what your GPA conveys about your work ethic and academic commitment, by comparison, to be negative.

b) I don't think your legacy status will help. Most PNMs are legacies.

c) Yes! Being accepted to the leadership program is a good thing -- especially for recruitment next year.

Just my opinion -- you are capable of ending your freshman year with a 4.0 and great activities. Get involved -- make friends -- dominate the academics -- and go through recruitment next fall as a top sophomore PNM.

Good luck to you beginning this new chapter of your life -- whatever you decide.

[80sbabe]

Thanks to all who responded. I really just wanted to join a sorority so I could make friends and because my mom was in one. I'm not quite as passionate about Greek life as others seem to be... so maybe it's not for me.

Just out of curiosity, though: what would be the absolute *minimum* GPA a freshman would need to have a chance?

Edit: Hartofsec- thank you! I was able to get my out-of-state tuition waived, but you are so right. I will certainly take your advice to "hart"

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Thanks to all who responded. I really just wanted to join a sorority so I could make friends and because my mom was in one. I'm not quite as passionate about Greek life as others seem to be... so maybe it's not for me.

Just out of curiosity, though: what would be the absolute *minimum* GPA a freshman would need to have a chance?

Edit: Hartofsec- thank you! I was able to get my out-of-state tuition waived, but you are so right. I will certainly take your advice to "hart"

At my school they strongly suggest you have a minimum of 3.0 just to go through recruitment and be successful.

[DubaiSis]

That varies too much by school to say, but if you look at the GPAs of the sororities (it's probably listed on the university Greek life page of their website), I would expect their chapter average to be around the minimum they will accept for a sophomore. But high 2's is going to be the minimum, if not higher.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by 80sbabe

Thanks to all who responded. I really just wanted to join a sorority so I could make friends and because my mom was in one. I'm not quite as passionate about Greek life as others seem to be... so maybe it's not for me.

Just out of curiosity, though: what would be the absolute *minimum* GPA a freshman would need to have a chance?

Edit: Hartofsec- thank you! I was able to get my out-of-state tuition waived, but you are so right. I will certainly take your advice to "hart"

Do that! : )

Here is the Spring 2013 grade report for chapters at Bama, for instance:

http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/documents...radeReport.pdf