The Informal waiting game?

GeorgiaMade · #1 10-11-2013, 10:03 PM

Hello everyone!

This August, I went through formal recruitment at my school and things did not end well. I ended up dropping out on Pref Day and I regret it, but i've learned a lot since then.

I went about recruitment totally wrong. My grades were bad and I thought my personality would get me anywhere I wanted to be, but I faced harsh cuts. On Pref I had one house I felt ok about and one house I completely did not like. But I was so broken up about being cut from my favorite houses that I had a crappy attitude at the houses and was sure they would drop me anyway, so I just dropped out myself.

I've since learned that grades were probably a really big part of things and a lot of girls I went through recruitment with were dropped for grades too.

But anyway, I still want to be in Greek Life, so I emailed the Panhellenic Office about informal recruitment and they told me a couple of the houses that planned on doing informal and that others would be doing it too. She said she would pass on my info to the Recruitment Chairs at the houses.

That was about two weeks ago and recently, I messaged one of my friends that's in a house I really liked and she told me that her house would be doing informal and she said she'd give my email and number to the recruitment chair.

So my question is, do I just wait patiently for an email or call back? They just gave a girl a bid, so I don't think they'll be waiting until second semester. And also, how does informal work?

Anyway, thanks for reading and any help/advice would be great!

33girl · #2 10-11-2013, 11:53 PM

It's a little late in the game to expect anything for this semester. Most groups are probably ready to initiate their pledges.

Study hard & get your grades up and get to know people in a positive way.

MTSUGURL · #3 10-11-2013, 11:54 PM

I'd wait it out. Are your grades already higher?

GeorgiaMade · #4 10-12-2013, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

It's a little late in the game to expect anything for this semester. Most groups are probably ready to initiate their pledges.

Study hard & get your grades up and get to know people in a positive way.

But a couple of the houses doing informal have already given girls bids in the past few weeks. Another house i'm interested in just gave a girl a bid yesterday.

GeorgiaMade · #5 10-12-2013, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTSUGURL

I'd wait it out. Are your grades already higher?

My grades are better. I just finished my midterms and I expect my semester grades to be satisfactory.

AGDee · #6 10-12-2013, 02:16 AM

You won't have a new GPA until after this term is over.

DubaiSis · #7 10-12-2013, 02:30 AM

Sorry, but it takes time. Just because chapters have given out some bids recently doesn't mean you know the whole story. Having gone through and gotten cut because of grades means they're not going to look at you until you have different grades. Work your tail off to make sure you have EXCELLENT grades, and don't expect any information about informal until the spring. If you go back to school on, say, January 10th, expect informal rush events to start happening around February 1st. Stay friendly with all of your sorority women friends and express interest without being creepy. You'll get there. And I think you know the result of being too good for certain chapters. Be open to ALL of your options. And good luck!

AnchorAlumna · #8 10-12-2013, 02:26 PM

If classes start Jan. 10, check with the panhellenic office on Jan. 15. You'll probably have to sign up again for spring COB. Heck, you could call now to find out if you'll have to sign up again.

ASUADPi · #9 10-12-2013, 05:03 PM

I would find out from your Greek Life office about spring recruitment. Some schools do somewhat a "structured" informal, meaning that they have all the girls interested in greek life meet somewhere to learn about greek life and allow the chapters to advertise. (I want to emphasize some. The school I was initiated at did this, hence how I joined, the school I transferred to did something along these lines as well, but I went to west coast schools).

I would also encourage you to keep your grades up, unfortunately that was probably the biggest reason for your heavy cuts. When chapters have minimum GPA requirements, they tend to cut those PNM's who don't meet that. But none of us here can (or even would) go into membership selection.

pinksequins · #10 10-13-2013, 08:09 AM

The principal takeaway from both your posts and others' is GRADES. You will not have a new GPA until after the conclusion of this semester. Invitations to membership will be informed by your CURRENT GPA -- the same one that apparantly drove the heavy cuts a few weeks ago.

Bear in mind also that the chapters that are conducting informal recruitment have the list of women that did not complete formal recruitment and can reach out to them for membership. The fact that they have not done so in your case suggests that until you get that new GPA, you are condidered a grade risk. That other women are currently receiving bids is immaterial -- they likely do not have grade issues.

Reinforcing what has been said: (1), work hard to pull up that GPA, (2) get involved on campus in other ways (since you will need to stand out in that way also), and (3) become friends with members of the Greek community, so that you have better options in the Spring.

GeorgiaMade · #11 10-13-2013, 08:27 PM

Thank everyone for your advice. I received an email from the Panhellenic office that gave an registration form for Recruitment chairs to look at if they're doing COB.

I'll continue to improve my grades this semester and work on staying involved in campus. I've already met a lot of friends in sororities and they all said they'd definitely let me know if their house would be participating in COB.

Thanks again!