Pay us, we'll help you get a bid

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Excerpted from the NY Times article:

"Samantha von Sperling is an image consultant in New York, but lately her bread-and-butter Wall Street clients have asked her to help their daughters get ready for rush at schools like Harvard; the University of Wisconsin, Madison; and New York University, which has added three chapters since 2006 and more than doubled the number of sisters, to 570."

Ladies, what are we doing wrong? This woman charges $8000 for a Friday thru Sunday session. I just spent an hour with a terrific young woman today for free!

Why would PNMs need a rush consultant for schools like that? Lightweights.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Old_Row

Why would PNMs need a rush consultant for schools like that? Lightweights.

That was my thought, exactly. I was like "Hm, maybe I don't know something about one of these schools, but if it's north of the M-D, and it's not Indiana, I wouldn't even THINK about paying for help."

ETA: It's even weirder, too, because nobody gives a s**t what sorority you are in after graduation if you went to Harvard or NYU.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by Old_Row

Why would PNMs need a rush consultant for schools like that? Lightweights.

From my thoughts to your keyboard.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

That was my thought, exactly. I was like "Hm, maybe I don't know something about one of these schools, but if it's north of the M-D, and it's not Indiana, I wouldn't even THINK about paying for help."

ETA: It's even weirder, too, because nobody gives a s**t what sorority you are in after graduation if you went to Harvard or NYU.

Coming from Indiana, I am not sure any consultant could really give you advice that would get you through it. It's just all alone in its own dysfunctional category.

And I totally agree about Harvard and NYU. When someone tells me they went to Harvard, the last thing I think is "I wonder what GLO" she was in??

[VandalSquirrel]

I want to know who told the reporter:

Rush often begins in August or early fall — for January rush, substitute Uggs for fashionable flats.

I'm not sure, but methinks it could be Sure Sister (aka Sunday Tollefson) as she is quoted before that literally, unfashionable statement, and also because she uses the term candidate which is all around that quote in the article, and on her website. I also think it is odd she doesn't list her affiliation on her website, and that she joined at Wazzu, but graduated from UW Tacoma, where there is no Greek Life. Leaving those details out just seems somewhat disingenuous, like someone who says they are a Delta Delta Delta from UT, and not mentioning that it was the University of Texas Dallas. Those two things just aren't the same when it comes down to it.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I want to know who told the reporter:

Rush often begins in August or early fall — for January rush, substitute Uggs for fashionable flats.

I'm not sure, but methinks it could be Sure Sister (aka Sunday Tollefson) as she is quoted before that literally, unfashionable statement, and also because she uses the term candidate which is all around that quote in the article, and on her website. I also think it is odd she doesn't list her affiliation on her website, and that she joined at Wazzu, but graduated from UW Tacoma, where there is no Greek Life. Leaving those details out just seems somewhat disingenuous, like someone who says they are a Delta Delta Delta from UT, and not mentioning that it was the University of Texas Dallas. Those two things just aren't the same when it comes down to it.

That name sounded familiar, so of course I googled it. To my surprise, she is listed as a Sigma Kappa.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by IndianaSigKap

That name sounded familiar, so of course I googled it. To my surprise, she is listed as a Sigma Kappa.

She used to post here and even posted in a thread where it was pointed out she joined Sigma Kappa at Wazzu. She didn't even pop into your forum to say hello or introduce herself.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

She used to post here and even posted in a thread where it was pointed out she joined Sigma Kappa at Wazzu. She didn't even pop into your forum to say hello or introduce herself.

She also kept referring to herself in the 3rd person. 33girl thought that was hella annoying and made lots of fun of her for it.

[Always AlphaGam]

Originally Posted by 33girl

She also kept referring to herself in the 3rd person. 33girl thought that was hella annoying and made lots of fun of her for it.

I don't get why, on her website, her team is introduced -- their Greek affiliations and alma maters are prominently displayed, but hers isn't.

[FSUZeta]

Perhaps the prestige of the school outweighs the prestige of the sorority?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by XOcarnation

First of all, I would never pay for rush coaching, but that being said, if I was the type...I would def pay for coaching for a school like USC. And while rushing at a small school is not ANYWHERE near as intense as it is for a big SEC school, it might be those locations where some rush coaching might do the most help. Many girls are going in with little knowledge of the system, so having a little coaching/knowing what is going to happen might give you a huge leg up vs. big SEC school where most everyone has been preparing at least since the last January if not for much, much longer.

I think you can find that information elsewhere, and without shelling out thousands. Also, we are not talking about getting coached to get a bid (excepting IU), we are talking about getting coached to get the best bid. I don't believe that there is such a large difference between the top and bottom chapter on most campuses that your life will be horrible if you go to the bottom one. At the few schools where there is a huge difference, if you don't already have the inside connection, no amount of coaching will fix that.

Originally Posted by XOcarnation

Also, just curious, but what did you mean by "It's even weirder, too, because nobody gives a s**t what sorority you are in after graduation if you went to Harvard or NYU?"

First of all, the schools are quite prestigious, and the Harvard or NYU name alone will open many doors. Second of all, in the Northeast, it's just not something people talk about that much after graduation.

[AXOrushadvisor]

Here is what I don't get. My personality is my personality. No amount of coaching is going to change that. Now if my first day outfit has my family vault hanging out and a Coach tells me that is not a good idea I just have no common sense or fashion sense. What exactly are these Coaches doing for these young women that they can not find in a book or online?

[Titchou]

They have had heli mom telling them what to do for almost 2 decades. Do you really think they are going to research it for themselves? Some of these folks need a coach like the ladies of the past needed "finishing schools." Trust me, they need someone to tell them that hoochie mama dress is a faux pas for pref night....

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

Here is what I don't get. My personality is my personality. No amount of coaching is going to change that. Now if my first day outfit has my family vault hanging out and a Coach tells me that is not a good idea I just have no common sense or fashion sense. What exactly are these Coaches doing for these young women that they can not find in a book or online?

Originally Posted by Titchou

They have had heli mom telling them what to do for almost 2 decades. Do you really think they are going to research it for themselves? Some of these folks need a coach like the ladies of the past needed "finishing schools." Trust me, they need someone to tell them that hoochie mama dress is a faux pas for pref night....

What Tichou said. I'm not condoning it at all, but think about how appalled people were 10+ years ago when families started paying College Admissions Counselors for their assistance. Now, it's pretty commonplace for some groups of people. Can you find all that information online? Sure, but if I have the $$ to have someone else deal with it (and deal with keeping my child on a timeline) then why not?

Today it's the Rush Counselor - same song, different verse. Girls won't listen to their mother's advice, but they might listen to someone else. If mama has the $$, then she can put that task on someone else...

[AZTheta]

AzTheta thinks AXOrushadvisor and Titchou are spot on. AzTheta likes referring to AzTheta in the third person. But it is a lot more tedious to type out than simply using "I". So AzTheta is reconsidering this affectation.