How can I up my chances

[vandycandy]

abc

[Jill1228]

OK, first...cut the tier bullshit.
First, discretion is your friend...we all know you are going to school and can figure out which groups you are interested in...a little discretion goes a long freaking way

Keep up your GPA
Be sociable
If you hadn't gotten your recs in, get them done NOW
Most important: KEEP AN OPEN MIND. This post is evident that you are not doing that. You don't want that to turn around and bite you in the ass

On yes, use the search button here and do a search for your school. There are probably some threads on it

[WCsweet<3]

Ditto to Jill

[KSUViolet06]

Sorry if I sound harsh, but you wanted honest, constructive feedback:

Those 2 sororities have their own criteria that they're looking at when choosing members, so we can't really tell you what your chances of getting a bid to either of those 2 are, since membership selection criteria is considered private.

I can tell you that with such a competitive recruitment as Vandy that it's a good idea to be open minded to all chapters on campus. It's okay to be interested in those two, but DO consider the possibility that ABC and DEF could cut you.

The bottom line is that there are quite a few sororities at Vandy, and you really shouldn't limit yourself to just those 2. It's not a good idea to make judgements like this before recruitment, because you never know how you'll feel about different sororities once recruitment starts and you start meeting girls in other chapters. We've seen it happen a million times here, where girls go into recruitment thinking they only want these 2 or 3 chapters, but finding that they dont really like ABC and DEF as much as they thought.

Also consider that you are not IN DEF and ABC, so you really can't say how well you'd "fit." There have been instances on GC where girls get bids to a sorority they LOVED during recruitment, just to find out once they get in, that it's not what they thought it would be. So just keep that mind and make sure that you're making decisions based on more than just "well, they like me" or "they're all cute and really into fashion."

A little bit more honesty:

While its nice that all of your ABC friends really like you and say you'll fit in well. But that also doesn't guarantee you a bid there. There are alot of girls in each chapter, and membership decisions aren't just up to your friends. We've seen it happen a ton of times where girls will say things like "OMG you're so cute and you'd be perfect here" or "OMG we love you ans you're so going to get a bid" then they get cut from there during recruitment time. So just be aware of that. Knowing these girls doesn't neccessarily guarantee you a spot.

And really just generally be aware that these sororities will have other girls that are as interested in them as you are. The sororities have to cut a certain # of women everyday. And while they may like you, you also don't know who they may be meeting during recruitment whom they feel may fit better. It sounds harsh, but it's just being honest. There are times within our chapters where we've liked girls and they didn't get invited back.

Some other things, since this is a deferred recruitment school, I'd just watch what you do/say, as that could affect your recruitment in some.

I'd also just check out the General Advice thread and the What Not to Say thread.

[vandycandy]

Oh and maybe I'm retarded but how do you search the boards? I really don't know lol

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by vandycandy

Oh and maybe I'm retarded but how do you search the boards? I really don't know lol

Look at the top of the page. In the darker blue box, you'll see a lot of options, including Search. Click on that, and type in the word you want to search. You may want to go with the Advanced Search if you think the answer to your question will be in one particular forum or another.

PS: I was absolutely positive I would be going ABC when I went through Recruitment, until I met ADPi. Never, ever close your options!

Good luck!

[KSUViolet06]

I think this thread is about Vandy:

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...light=deferred

Also, these threads have good advice in them:

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=54403
http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=30758

This is a recruitment story thread from a girl who went to a competitive school with deferred January recruitment like Vandy. It's long, but it's a good story, and it shows some of the "no-no's" and has some good advice also:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=97700

[WCsweet<3]

The easiest and most effective way IMO is to use google advanced search. Go to google press the advanced link to the right of the search bar. Type in greekchat.com in the website area and any words you are looking for.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

The easiest and most effective way IMO is to use google advanced search. Go to google press the advanced link to the right of the search bar. Type in greekchat.com in the website area and any words you are looking for.

Or if you have google toolbar, type in "whatever search term" site:greekchat.com.

so it might look like


"Vanderbilt Recruitment" site:greekchat.com

[vandycandy]

thanks!

[basket96]

Along with the advice given, I'd first advise you to keep your moral standards high. If you behave like a drunken fool at every party or hook up with any guy who pays you attention, you can have a million other GREAT qualities, but you will likely get cut.

Second, keep your GPA high, as good grades always help.

Third, get recommendations for EACH house, if possible. A local panhellenic alumnae association can assist you, as can parent's friends, former teachers, etc.

Fourth, keep an OPEN MIND. It has been said over and over, but bears repeating, since many do not. Be gracious at any house that invites you to attend, and don't dismiss any chapter prematurely. So often stories are how someone LOVED ABC and then ended up pledging DEF and could never imagine being an ABC. It all depends on the women and how you connect with them. Don't listen to "tent talk", but rather make up your own mind. These are your potential sisters, not someone else's.

Fifth and finally, be involved in many campus clubs, organizations and activities. This will allow you to meet many other women (presumably some sorority women) and them a chance to meet you. It will give you a good reputation as someone who gets involved and is a leader on campus.

I hope this is helpful to you and truly wish you the best of luck in your upcoming recruitment experience.

[Elephant Walk]

Don't drink...period.

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by vandycandy

The only reason I want ABC is because I have a lot in common with the girls I have met and like their philanthropy, social events etc. The girls there have a more similar background to mine than others at my school. I like DEF because they are slightly different from the other sororities- the girls here seem really fun-loving, friendy, and not afraid to be themselves. Plus, their executive board are all really active in the club I work with a lot so I know we have things in common!

So you've met a few girls in two sororities and really like them. You haven't met all the members. Who's to say you'll like them all? Who's to say you won't have a ton of things in common with members of the other sororities? Or you won't like another philanthropy, social events, etc just as much if not more? Point being, it can be a mistake to make any initial judgements beforehand. Give every chapter an opportunity to impress you and you them.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Zillini

So you've met a few girls in two sororities and really like them. You haven't met all the members. Who's to say you'll like them all? Who's to say you won't have a ton of things in common with members of the other sororities? Or you won't like another philanthropy, social events, etc just as much if not more? Point being, it can be a mistake to make any initial judgements beforehand. Give every chapter an opportunity to impress you and you them.

I second that.

I have read A LOT of recruitment stories on this board, and I have listened to a lot of recruitment experiences from friends, and there are numerous reasons why a potential new member’s opinions have changed about a chapter (from both negative opinions to positive ones, and vice versa), including:

- A sister they talked to one day was amazing, a sister they talked to another day was boring
- They didn’t like their house
- They loved their house and thought that the sorority clearly took pride in it
- The national philanthropy is something the PNM is already involved in
- The philanthropy project they did at the recruitment party was juvenile
- They found out that their arch-nemesis is in that sorority
- The sorority’s skit was outstanding and the sisters put a lot of thought into it
- The sorority’s preference party was meaningful and emotional
- The sisters ignored her and she was left standing by herself for some of the recruitment event
- The sorority has a full social calendar, including mixers with all of the fraternities
- The sorority doesn't have many social activities planned and instead participates in more philanthropies
- The topic of conversation was all about parties/boys/drinking
- The topic of conversation was all about something the she and the sister had in common
- There was no topic of conversation and things became awkward
- The chapter is involved in a rivalry with another sorority on campus
- She sees a sister hitting on her boyfriend at a party
- She sees a sister helping another sister with her homework
- For the most part, collectively, the sisters have completely different interests than her
- A sister talked about another sorority in a negative way
- A sister asked her what her opinions were of the other sororities so far
- A sister said, “I hope to see you again soon!”
- etc., etc., etc.

For the most part, these are things that you can't read about on a website or hear about from other potential new members going through recruitment.

For all of these reasons (and more) you might find that you absolutely love ABC, that you absolutely love a chapter other than ABC, that you absolutely hate ABC, or that you love 3 different chapters, get invited to all three for their preference parties, and can’t decide which one to rank first.

The point is, even if everyone else is telling you, “You’d be perfect for ABC or DEF,” it doesn’t mean that you are. You still know very little about these two chapters, and it sounds as if you know next to nothing about the other ones. Only you can decide which sorority is best for you. Don’t just “go in with an open mind”, go in knowing that anything could happen.

[LadyLonghorn]

Yet her greekchat profile still reads:

Interests:
Parties, The SEC, raging, the usual

Uh . . . alrighty then.