Indiana University 2014 Recruitment

[Mom64]

Originally Posted by Indiana mom

Why would a sorority not pick a woman who went through all the trouble to rush over someone who didn't even go through recruitment. That really is allowed? Very disappointing .

Just spoke with my daughter, she seems to think that this woman didn't have the grades to rush but could be given a spot through informal recruitment.

[NewToGreekLife]

My daughter also just participated in sorority recruitment at IU and I wished I had read this forum a few weeks ago so that she and I were better prepared. She is a pretty and popular girl so I never really anticipated her not getting into a sorority and perhaps she would have except right or wrong, she dropped out of recruitment on Preference day as she was not sure she wanted to join any of the 3 houses she was invited back to. None of them had been on her original list of houses she was interested in and she said she just couldn't see herself living there. One of her best friends did the same. Two other friends went through Preference day and received no bids. Most of her friends that received bids were legacies, were from out of state or were both. She also knew a girl who did not go to IU last semester as she did not have the grades to get in but was able to transfer in this semester and got into the house her best friend is in. I do feel a big part of IU rush is connections and I do agree that they need to change the antiquated bed quota policy and open up more opportunities for girls who would like to participate but do not have as many connections. I am glad they are opening new sororities but for most, the house is important so until these chapters have houses, they will not be an alternative for some girls. My daughter received one of these houses on Preference day but the other 2 were housed chapters just not ones that she had enough interest in to want to live there for the next 3 years.

[Indiana mom]

I can't believe that the same standards for grade requirements don't apply to informal recruitment. Sounds like my daughter may have been better off not going through formal recruitment. And FYI- my daughter had two legacies

[naraht]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Alpha Sigma Tau is the 4th that is not represented at IU.

I know, I thought that was clear in stating that DPhiE was selected over AST and thus AST didn't have to be repeated. I guess not.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I didn't even realize we had presented. Interesting.

Do we think that all 26 will one day be at IU? If so, how long will it take, assuming the bed quota system doesn't change?

Does any school have all 26? And given the number who didn't get a bid this time, I'm not sure that having all 26 will be enough.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by naraht

Does any school have all 26? And given the number who didn't get a bid this time, I'm not sure that having all 26 will be enough.

No, there is not a campus where all 26 are represented. IU now has the most with 21 now, 22 next week.

[Katmandu]

Originally Posted by NewToGreekLife

My daughter also just participated in sorority recruitment at IU and I wished I had read this forum a few weeks ago so that she and I were better prepared. She is a pretty and popular girl so I never really anticipated her not getting into a sorority and perhaps she would have except right or wrong, she dropped out of recruitment on Preference day as she was not sure she wanted to join any of the 3 houses she was invited back to. None of them had been on her original list of houses she was interested in and she said she just couldn't see herself living there. One of her best friends did the same. Two other friends went through Preference day and received no bids. Most of her friends that received bids were legacies, were from out of state or were both. She also knew a girl who did not go to IU last semester as she did not have the grades to get in but was able to transfer in this semester and got into the house her best friend is in. I do feel a big part of IU rush is connections and I do agree that they need to change the antiquated bed quota policy and open up more opportunities for girls who would like to participate but do not have as many connections. I am glad they are opening new sororities but for most, the house is important so until these chapters have houses, they will not be an alternative for some girls. My daughter received one of these houses on Preference day but the other 2 were housed chapters just not ones that she had enough interest in to want to live there for the next 3 years.

If your daughter didn't participate in pref then how did she know she didn't like the chapters? Many minds are changed at pref parties, so you can't really know that that bed quota interfered with your daughter's recruitment if she dropped out.

I know that everyone is saying hundreds of girls went to all the prefs, maximized options, and didn't receive bids, and that is, as we know, the case for some---even many, but I also suspect there was a lot of this ^^^.

[cinder1965]

Originally Posted by NewToGreekLife

My daughter also just participated in sorority recruitment at IU and I wished I had read this forum a few weeks ago so that she and I were better prepared. She is a pretty and popular girl so I never really anticipated her not getting into a sorority and perhaps she would have except right or wrong, she dropped out of recruitment on Preference day as she was not sure she wanted to join any of the 3 houses she was invited back to. None of them had been on her original list of houses she was interested in and she said she just couldn't see herself living there. One of her best friends did the same. Two other friends went through Preference day and received no bids. Most of her friends that received bids were legacies, were from out of state or were both. She also knew a girl who did not go to IU last semester as she did not have the grades to get in but was able to transfer in this semester and got into the house her best friend is in. I do feel a big part of IU rush is connections and I do agree that they need to change the antiquated bed quota policy and open up more opportunities for girls who would like to participate but do not have as many connections. I am glad they are opening new sororities but for most, the house is important so until these chapters have houses, they will not be an alternative for some girls. My daughter received one of these houses on Preference day but the other 2 were housed chapters just not ones that she had enough interest in to want to live there for the next 3 years.

I am very sorry your daughter was disappointed, however, she will get little sympathy from me and likely many others on GC since she did not maximize her options. She was invited to three pref parties and didn't attend any of them? That is really unfortunate because had she given them another chance maybe she would have found something more. Sort of how you feel if the sororities on her "list" would have given her another chance they would have found something more and offered her a bid. Secondly, there were PNMs who would have jumped at the chance to attend 3 pref parties.

Frankly, I am more concerned about the girls who took recruitment to the end, maximized their options and did not get a bid. THAT is heartbreaking. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I don't believe your daughter's situation is heartbreaking.

[Griffins&Quills]

Originally Posted by Indiana mom

I can't believe that the same standards for grade requirements don't apply to informal recruitment. Sounds like my daughter may have been better off not going through formal recruitment. And FYI- my daughter had two legacies

I'm only speaking from what I know, so I could be wrong, but typically grade requirements are still enforced whether it is formal or informal recruitment. I believe most of the NPC chapters set a minimum of 2.5, as in, you have to have a 2.5 via nationals, or you are not allowed to join. Many college panhellenics set their own bar though, and chapters can choose to make the cutoff 2.7 or 3.0, etc. Grades are often the first reason a girl is cut.

However, say if the grade cutoff that a chapter desires is a 2.7 and the PNM has a 2.73, for example, she's considered a grade/academic risk. It's possible for her to pledge, but she probably has people speaking up for her.

I don't think that the national grade requirement would ever be thrown out just because it's informal instead of formal.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

I am very sorry your daughter was disappointed, however, she will get little sympathy from me and likely many others on GC since she did not maximize her options. She was invited to three pref parties and didn't attend any of them? That is really unfortunate because had she given them another chance maybe she would have found something more. Sort of how you feel if the sororities on her "list" would have given her another chance they would have found something more and offered her a bid. Secondly, there were PNMs who would have jumped at the chance to attend 3 pref parties.

Frankly, I am more concerned about the girls who took recruitment to the end, maximized their options and did not get a bid. THAT is heartbreaking. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I don't believe your daughter's situation is heartbreaking.

I agree. Well said.

[suzy88]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

I am very sorry your daughter was disappointed, however, she will get little sympathy from me and likely many others on GC since she did not maximize her options. She was invited to three pref parties and didn't attend any of them? That is really unfortunate because had she given them another chance maybe she would have found something more. Sort of how you feel if the sororities on her "list" would have given her another chance they would have found something more and offered her a bid. Secondly, there were PNMs who would have jumped at the chance to attend 3 pref parties.

Frankly, I am more concerned about the girls who took recruitment to the end, maximized their options and did not get a bid. THAT is heartbreaking. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I don't believe your daughter's situation is heartbreaking.

I understand what you are saying, it is a common problem that women don't maximize their options. This is very easy for you to point out, because you have been around for a while and understand that you need to maximize your options to win at this game. However, these 18 year old women don't understand this. You are too hard on them. Please have some compassion. They don't know the game as well as you do.

[AZTheta]

suzy88, some PNMs don't maximize their options. Others do. The importance and meaning of "maximize your options" is explained over and over and over throughout the entire recruitment process. This particular poster's daughter chose to drop out of recruitment rather than attend any Preference parties. That was her choice. It is not heartbreaking. She had three chapters who were interested in her. She didn't like her invitations. She ended the process. That can happen on any campus. That is an example of "mutual selection".

Regardless, at Indiana, there ARE women who maximize their options, go through Preference, and still do not receive a bid. That is heartbreaking.

[Titchou]

Once again, people who want the wedding and not the marriage.

[DubaiSis]

The problem is they think the wedding IS the marriage. Only people who have been married know the difference. I am not a mother but I think I know how ridiculous the following statement is: if they would just do as we say they'd be happier. Because we know how open to suggestion and advice 18 year old girls are.

The bad news is there are few second chances at IU. The good news is there ARE a few.

[als463]

Originally Posted by suzy88

I understand what you are saying, it is a common problem that women don't maximize their options. This is very easy for you to point out, because you have been around for a while and understand that you need to maximize your options to win at this game. However, these 18 year old women don't understand this. You are too hard on them. Please have some compassion. They don't know the game as well as you do.

So, first I agree with cinder and other posters that this was not an unfortunate situation. This young woman was sitting in a spot that another girl could have been in and she chose not to attend the parties. That sounds incredibly selfish. I feel no sympathy for her. Second, I want to point out your statement about being "18" and not knowing the game as you claim these women don't understand. You do realize you can join the military at 17 with a parent's signature--right? als463, how is that relevant? Well, if we have young men and women fighting for our country at an age we have all decided is adult enough to make decisions regarding life or death, I'm not going to sit here and boo-hoo because Suzy Snowflake decided not to maximize her options and now she has no sorority to call home. Maybe she should be a little less picky at a place where sorority recruitment sounds like a modern day Hunger Games.