Unique situation/rush question? PLEASE READ

[katiev9494]

Hey

[angels&angles]

This is not a unique situation . Check around the site, this question has been answered many a time already. Maybe you should pledge the library before you pledge a chapter.

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by katiev9494

Hey ladies, so, I have a unique situation on hand. I was a freshman last fall (2012), and I got horrible grades. Well, after that I straightened up, and I got all A's and B's for my spring and summer semesters. I am at a 2.0, which is considered good standing at my University. I want to rush as a second semester freshman this fall, and although the University says you have to have a 2.0 to rush, I'm still nervous. All my best friends happen to be in sororities though, and they said it doesn't matter and I definitely should rush. I go to a laid back school in Montana. Do you think it's worth a shot?

Thank you!

I guess I missed the unique part.....

Every sorority has a different minimum requirement to pledge. I do not know of any organization that will extend a bid to a woman with a GPA that low. There could be some, but I have never heard of one. I am sorry, but that is the truth.

[FSUZeta]

If your friends are in sororities on your campus, ask them if they pledge girls with 2.0 GPAs. If they answer yes, then go for it.

[katiev9494]

FSUZeta...they've told me they've pledged girls with worse grades..

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by katiev9494

FSUZeta...they've told me they've pledged girls with worse grades..

If your friends tell you that your grades will not be an obstacle for you, then why are you asking us? I am not sure what we can offer you or what you were looking for...

[tld221]

When you say "horrible grades" ou must've failed almost everything 1st year to have a 2.0 now. It's an AVERAGE so mathematically 2 semesters of Ds and Fs + 2 semesters of As and Bs got you an average average.

I mean, kudos on making the turnaround but it's gonna take C's and up to at least keep it there. I can't imagine any school allowing someone with a 2.0 participate in Greek life but maybe your school is an exception.

[katiev9494]

It was one semester of bad grades...one semester and summer session of good grades...I'll be a second semester freshman

[Griffins&Quills]

Sorry but it doesn't really matter if it was only 1 semester of bad grades. That's not really how chapters look at it, they look at you as a huge grade risk. Unless maybe there is a very slim chance they would consider some extreme tragic extenuating circumstance.

As far as I know, all National Panhellenic chapters require a 2.5 minimum GPA to be a member. I don't really see or understand how your campus would be an exception to this.

[Griffins&Quills]

Also, do you mean you are academically considered a freshman by the university? Because it's not your 2nd semester if you started in the fall and then did spring and summer. It'd technically be your 4th semester/2nd year freshman.

ETA: Also, good standing with the university is different than good standing with groups. You can be on academic probation with a chapter but not with the university. Vice versa.

[DubaiSis]

If she failed a couple classes (which she had to have done for the numbers to work), she wouldn't get credit for the hours, and therefore would be short of the hours required to be considered a sophomore. I get that part.

And we can't make any assumptions about what other NPC sororities will or will not allow for GPA minimums. My assumption is that yes, 2.5 is going to be the bottom, but I can't speak for any of the 8 sororities who are in question here.

I would say that if your one horrendous semester is really in your past, I would wait to rush until you have at least one more semester of stellar grades. If you can bump up to 2.5 (which probably means nearly 4.0 this fall), then you would be a much better candidate in the spring. Now, I suppose there is a CHANCE that they would be willing to look only at your most recent semester GPA, but I doubt it. They might be more willing to disregard that first semester if you've showed 2 semesters (not including summer school) of ability to keep your grades up.

And regarding your GPA, is it too late for you to re-take a class? As I understand it, if you can retake the class and get a good grade, they erase the original grade, or average the two or something. Calling any professors for clarification on this one! And does it have to be done the very next semester or does she still have a chance to fix that?

[Griffins&Quills]

I think I was confused by her terminology of "second-semester freshman" when it's really her 2nd year of school and she has been through more semesters. She's still a freshman by hours, but a 2nd year. And yes, I was assuming, apologies if it came across as authoritative.

I think the way grade replacement works depends on the campus. Campuses will usually say, "needs to be retaken within _# of semesters of "failing" the class""

I suppose if a chapter really loved her but her grades were an issue, they could take her but put her directly on academic probation? I don't think it's very common, but I suppose possible.

[Titchou]

The problem is not so much the Gpa requirement for pledging but the GPA requirement for initiation. they won't pledge her if they can't initiate her. And, yes, it's usually the same GPA but the driving force is the initiation requirement. A chapter set pledging GPA is easier to get around than a Fraternity set initiation requirement.