Minimum Academic Standards

IUGirl · #1 11-09-2006, 03:07 AM

Hello, I signed up for recruitment at Indiana University. I am curious about the academic requirements for recruitment. I was ill last year, and my GPA was affected by it. I will have managed to bring it back up at the conclusion of this semester, but I am worried that I am not eligible to participate in recruitment. Please Help! I really really want to join a sorority so bad!

FSUZeta · #2 11-09-2006, 08:59 AM

if panhellenic has not contacted you to say that your gpa is too low, then you are eligible to participate in recruitment.

that being said, often the gpa requirements of individual chapters are higher than the gpa by the school administration required to participate in recruitment.

check out the local websites of each sorority at iu. sometimes they post what their minimum gpa requirement is. if that doesn't help, you could see if panhellenic knows what they are. you could also ask any sorority members you know about their own sorority's requirements. as a last resort, you could ask during the parties.

ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl · #3 11-09-2006, 04:40 PM

I would ask during a party, because that gives you a chance to explain yourself, so that they know you weren't screwing around, but had a legitimate concern.

KSUViolet06 · #4 11-09-2006, 05:44 PM

If your GPA is too low to participate, someone will contact you.

DeltaBetaBaby · #5 11-09-2006, 08:48 PM

IU wraps around the semesters, so I would agree with SquirrelGirl and take the time to explain yourself and stress that your grades will be much higher this semester, if you have improved them. That way, you may get invites back in the spring and they will not have to make a decision on you until you have new grades to show them.

IUGirl · #6 11-17-2006, 04:26 AM

Thanks for all of your help! I have not been contacted so that is a good sign. I have heard from a few girls that many houses require atleast a 2.6 GPA. I am not sure what my GPA will be after this semester, but it looks like I will have all A's. I was just wondering if the houses stick to their set GPA or is that just something to shoot for. I guess what I am asking is if someone has like a 2.45 GPA are they automatically ineligible?

KSUViolet06 · #7 11-17-2006, 04:35 AM

The GPA that chapters list is the GPA that is required in order to receive a bid. Often, this GPA is set by the national headquarters of the sorority, so it is something that they have to follow. Honestly, you're going through at IU, that school has a competitive recruitment, so your grades are going to be a factor. Chapters do tend to stick to their GPA requirements.

carnation · #8 11-17-2006, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

If your GPA is too low to participate, someone will contact you.

I wish they always did but I know someone who rushed last fall who had under a 2.0 and Panhellenic took her money and let her rush and get cut by everyone right off.

33girl · #9 11-17-2006, 11:15 AM

Panhellenic cannot prevent someone from rushing unless THEY THEMSELVES set a grade requirement - as in when you fill out the app to go through formal rush, it says on it "you must have a 2.5 overall GPA to participate in formal rush" or if the school administration dictates that you must have a certain GPA. It's not up to them as a governing body to make that decision for the sorority. For all they know, the girl who had under a 2.0 might have been a quintuple legacy to ABC and they were under orders from their HQ to take her on as a grade risk.

REE1993 · #10 11-17-2006, 11:46 AM

What is your GPA, if you don't mind sharing?

My other question is, does initiation happen before or after the current semester is completed? My first college held pledges over til the week after the new semester, to make sure that grades were at par. This was the only way to ensure that Freshmen pledges met the GPA requirements.

I don't know if they do that anymore, but pledge classes had to wait til after winter (or if they COB'ed, after summer) break was over to initiate.

FSUZeta · #11 11-17-2006, 03:40 PM

pledgeship periods have been shortened, so many new member classes are iniatiated before they go home for winter break(or for spring, before summer break occurs)

IUGirl · #12 11-20-2006, 02:48 PM

I am really not sure what my GPA will be after this semester. I will have very close to a 4.0 this semester, but I am not sure what affect this will have on my CGPA. We have 19 Party before winter break, but we do not receive bids until after Christmas break.

UMDG1873 · #13 11-25-2006, 11:46 PM

As an active, I saw girls that had GPA's far below what the "minimum" was. Actually, many of them were not completely released from rush. If you were SERIOUSLY ill (e.g., involving staying in the hospital, leaving school temporarily, etc.), I would send a letter to the rush chair at each house, perhaps with a doctor's or parent's note, explaining the situation behind your grades. Especially if you can back it up and show that your previous grades were good or your new grades will be good, that should help. I think every house at my school took a few grade risks, just because some had reasons, and others were just well known by girls in the house and demonstrated improvement. Just make sure that, if possible, you are getting to know girls at some houses who can stand up for you. They won't know about your situation unless you TELL them! It may be a little embarrassing now, but it could save some heartache later. Good luck!

EGAOPi · #14 11-27-2006, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IUGirl

I am really not sure what my GPA will be after this semester. I will have very close to a 4.0 this semester, but I am not sure what affect this will have on my CGPA. We have 19 Party before winter break, but we do not receive bids until after Christmas break.

If your recruitment events occur before winter break/the end of the first semester, they will likely be going by your CURRENT GPA.
My school allows girls with any GPA to go through recruitment. However, on information night, a booklet is distributed which outlines various information about our sororities including dues and minimum required GPA.
At our school, the minimum GPA requirement ranged from 2.0-3.0. Some sororities adjusted their minimum standards so now the lowest minimum GPA is a 2.5. So, as you mentioned, a 2.45 would not make the cut (as far as I know, we do not round--mostly because the school does not).
A girl that went through recruitment this past year had a 2.25 and was cut from all sororities but one after the first day. Though the sorority that kept her, I was told, had a GPA requirement below or around her GPA, they still cut her that 2nd day.
I can't speak for your school, but it is very likely that they will look at your grades on the first day (as opposed to waiting until Pref Night-right up until Bid Day, basically, to check out your grades). IU could be different, so don't quote me on this--but this is what I imagine.
I definitely understand your concern (esp. since rush is clearly coming up soon), so I'd get on to their chapter websites or talk to someone in your office of Greek Life to find out about sororities and their minimum GPA requirements. As long as you meet a minimum requirement, by all means, it's worth it to go through. If you impress people with your charm, wit, personality and all of those other great things, as long as you meet the minimum requirement, you could be in great shape. However, depending on the competitive nature of your school's Greek system, your grades COULD have a huge impact (esp. if there are a lot of wonderful girls going thru...grades could be the deal breaker).
I think it's awesome that you're asking and you should not be discouraged at all...your campus may have standards similar to your current GPA. If you meet those requirements and you're still concerned, you can mention to the chapters that you're focusing on raising your grades and while your GPA is on shaky ground, you will be earing a 4.0 this semester, etc.
Good luck!