Auburn University Recruitment - Fall 2010

AuburnDad · #1 08-06-2010, 07:32 AM

I'm driving my daughter to Auburn today for the start of sorority recruitment at Auburn University. Move-in day is tomorrow, with the intitial "optional" Panhellenic meeting tomorrow evening.

Convocation will start at 9:00 am on Sunday followed by the first day of ice water teas. (Am I the only one to wonder why they have to start rush on a Sunday?)

I don't know if this is normal, but I think that I am more nervous about this week than my daughter. I was a member of a GLO myself, so while I am very much aware of the positives and benefits of being in a sorority, I also fully understand that there can be some real negatives as well, particularly with regard to the recruitment process.

My daughter seems to be very relaxed about this week (too relaxed in my view), but perhaps that is a good thing. Just to give you an idea...yesterday, she finally got around to buying some shoes to go along with her pref dress which she's had since the beginning of the summer!

Anyway, she is very open minded and has no preconceived notions about a particular sorority, so I'm hoping that bodes well for her.

If I get enough cooperation, I will do my best to provide updates on how things are going throughout the week.

MUSK81 · #2 08-06-2010, 07:47 AM

Best of luck to your daughter, AuburnDad! My dad was very supportive of my rushing too and was a great help to me through the whole process, as I will be if my incoming freshman Pike legacy son decides to rush. If she follows the rules and is open to what each chapter has to offer, she'll do fine.

FSUZeta · #3 08-06-2010, 08:23 AM

dad, tell daughter this sorority advisor said to be sure to wear those pref. shoes a little everyday-preferably after the days parties are done and her feet are slightly swollen. she needs to break those new shoes in.

good luck to daughter and please keep us updated as you are able.

AuburnDad · #4 08-07-2010, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

dad, tell daughter this sorority advisor said to be sure to wear those pref. shoes a little everyday-preferably after the days parties are done and her feet are slightly swollen. she needs to break those new shoes in.

good luck to daughter and please keep us updated as you are able.

Thank you all for your positive and supportive comments. FSUZeta, I told her about your suggestion for breaking in the new shoes - I'm hoping she'll try it.

We're in Auburn now, and will be moving into her dorm this morning.

I'll tell you a little bit about my daughter, but will have to be fairly vague with details - I'm sure you'll understand.

For this thread, I'll call her "Emma".

She is from out of state, somewhere within 12 hours driving distance from Auburn. She has excellent grades, was a varsity athlete, and has an extremely well rounded high school resume. Most people would describe her as very outgoing. I would imagine that many of the PNM's coming to Auburn have similar credentials.

She has met only one current active, whom she knows through our family. Thanks to GC, we were very aware of the importance of rec letters. Yesterday, an Auburn alumna told me that over 90% of PNM's coming to Auburn will obtain letters of recommendation. Fortunately, Emma was able to obtain at least one rec letter for 15 of the 17 houses on campus, with double recs for many of them.

This is expected to be a very competitive rush. I heard that there were more than 1400 PNM's registered! Whether that is accurate or not, this freshman class is expected to be largest and brightest that Auburn has ever had.

Obviously, with those kind of numbers, there will be a premium on making a quick connection during the opening round.

baci · #5 08-06-2010, 09:04 AM

Take a deep breath Auburn dad! I know I would be feeling just like you right about now, but things have a way of working out.

Keep us posted.

AZTheta · #6 08-06-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuburnDad

My daughter seems to be very relaxed about this week (too relaxed in my view), but perhaps that is a good thing.

Anyway, she is very open minded and has no preconceived notions about a particular sorority, so I'm hoping that bodes well for her.

If I get enough cooperation, I will do my best to provide updates on how things are going throughout the week.

Hey! I am so pleased that your daughter is relaxed; we give that advice often. It will help her recruitment if she is relaxed and herself; her happiness will shine through. Being nervous and tense doesn't let anyone be his/her "best self."

And being open-minded is another good sign.

Would love to hear from you if you're so inclined to share with us. Sending good wishes for a great recruitment.

pam713 · #7 08-06-2010, 10:50 AM

Good luck to you and your daughter! I was in your position last year and am so glad we never have to do that again! My daughter had some ups and downs but had a happy ending. I hope you do, too.

TexasSK · #8 08-06-2010, 11:46 AM

I look forward to following this year's Auburn recruitment! SEC Recruitment is like the Superbowl of the greek world!

gardensyl · #9 08-06-2010, 03:15 PM

I was exactly where you are now two years ago, much more nervous for my girl than she seemed to be, and yet everything worked just fine. It's great that your daughter has an open mind about recruitment, that will make her experience much better. Best of luck to both of you and keep us updated.

carnation · #10 08-07-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuburnDad

Convocation will start at 9:00 am on Sunday followed by the first day of ice water teas. (Am I the only one to wonder why they have to start rush on a Sunday?)

So we can have Bid Day on Saturday so relatives can be off work to come?

AnchorAlumna · #11 08-07-2010, 11:51 AM

AuburnDad, I would be EXTREMELY cautious about what I posted. It would only take 1 or 2 more tiny details to identify your daughter.
Live recruitment threads make me cringe...you never know what will happen...it could be wonderful, but it could also not.

AuburnDad · #12 08-08-2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

AuburnDad, I would be EXTREMELY cautious about what I posted. It would only take 1 or 2 more tiny details to identify your daughter.
Live recruitment threads make me cringe...you never know what will happen...it could be wonderful, but it could also not.

AnchorAlumna, I will certainly take your words of caution to heart. The specific information I've given so far about Emma is probably all that I will provide.

Emma went to the "optional meeting" last night where she joined a huge throng of other PNM's who waited outside the Student Center. I hope to post a picture my wife took of the PNM's later tonite or tomorrow. Probably due to the huge numbers of girls that Panhellenic was processing, it took quite some time. As they stood waiting, most of the PNM's around Emma exchanged small talk and talked about the heat. It was still around 92 degrees even at 6:00 in the evening.

Emma met her Pi Chi and Pi Chi group and was assigned a number. Apparently, for this week, instead of being known as Emma, she'll be identified by sorority actives as number 123 (not her real number, of course)

Several suitemates are going through rush as well, so she is walking with them to meet with their Pi Chi groups prior to Convocation. After that they will start their first round of Ice Water Teas.

By the way, if there are any other dads, moms or pnms that want to add to this thread to talk about this year's Auburn recruitment experience, please feel free to join in.

I'll try to update again tonight after day one of Ice Water teas is over.

AUAZD2001 · #13 08-07-2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

So we can have Bid Day on Saturday so relatives can be off work to come?

When I went through recruitment (9 years ago!!!

) Bid Day was on Sunday and classes started the next day. This meant no New Member sleepover.

So the next year Bid Day was moved back to Saturday. As far as I know, the Recruitment hasn't been changed since then.

MUSK81 · #14 08-09-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUAZD2001

When I went through recruitment (9 years ago!!!

) Bid Day was on Sunday and classes started the next day. This meant no New Member sleepover.

So the next year Bid Day was moved back to Saturday. As far as I know, the Recruitment hasn't been changed since then.

Nine years ago? Try 30 years ago

!

WregleXO · #15 08-07-2010, 11:57 AM

Good luck to your daughter and please keep us updated. Some times I think that the girls that come in from out of state are in better shape since they don't have preconceived notions about who is "good" at Auburn. I grew up in Auburn and I was thinking the other day that when I went through rush I really only knew about three groups - one that I think every one of their alums live in Auburn, the one that my mother was an advisor for (she was initiated when they came to Auburn) and then the last group - I only really knew about them because my mom had a store in Auburn and three of the girls in that group would come in and buy stuff from her. Mom just mentioned that they were nice girls and that she had told them to look out for me when I went through. So guess which one I pledged - yup the one that had the girls that shopped at my mom's store.