UGA RUSH ADVICE

[UGAPROUD08]

Hey all I will attending UGA in the fall as a freshman and I am totally lost in the sorority rush process. I am the first in my family to attend college ( instate). I have a 3.96 uw GPA and was 7th in my class of 378. I was very active in my school, community and worked. I volunteered every year I was in high school and will continue in college. I will also continue my sport at UGA.
Here are all my questions ( sorry there are so many), How do I go about getting recs. I have read all these amazing threads and I know I need them but I really don't know where to start asking. My family has no history of sororities and at my job there are only young girls and the owner (not a sister). How do you get one for all these different ones? How can I possible get 3 or 4 for every sorority?If you don't have recommendations are you automatically cut? There are so many threads here that I have read but can anyone be specific to UGA about the sororities. I have read all the info about the sororities online and they all sound interesting.
But with over 1000 plus girls ( this has been on several threads) rushing how do the sisters really get a chance to know you with only a few minutes at each party. I believe I am friendly, outgoing, fun and a good conversationalist.
Also, several threads have said dress one step up from what is expected. Does that mean a dress and heels, I heard there is a ton of walking, should you carry your heels for the parties and wear something else before you get to each.
I have completed the registration. I just need some help as to what to expect at such a large recruitment. I really appreciate any help, sorry if I sound lost.

[33girl]

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=38003
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=96931
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=36117
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=90340
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=89398

There is a thread at the top of this forum about getting recs.

Good luck!

[KSUViolet06]

This thread has a section about recs in it. Please read it.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=54403

Also, since you are in GA, I suggest locating your nearest Alumna Panhellenic and getting their help with locating recs. Yes it's alot but it can be done.

Recs are very important to have at UGA and it will very difficult for you to have a successful recruitment and receive a bid without them.

[Fleur de Lis]

Definitely contact your local alumnae panhellenic group. Each NPC represented should have people who specifically find members to write recommendations.

Also talk to women who graduated last year from your high school. No doubt many of them are in sororities, and some NPCs allow collegiate members to write recommendations, so long as they do not attend UGA. If they do, they will be able to answer school-specific questions for you and possibly help you find a rec.

[UGAalum94]

Good luck to you! I hope you have a great experience with recruitment and try not to stress too much.

As you probably know, since UGA's admissions requirements have gotten higher and higher, having high grades isn't going to set you apart from the others girls going through recruitment as much as maybe it would have back in my day. You also probably know that other students admitted also have great extracurriculars, activities, and involvement. It doesn't mean that it's not awesome that you have your resume, but you can't expect it to distinguish you as much as it would have at one point in UGA history.

The main thing with recs is to contact an alumnae panhellenic in your area for which you have already been given a link. Even if you miss the published deadline for recruitment help, it's likely that someone will still be willing to help you if you make contact now.

The other big resource for recommendations are probably some of your teachers. Especially if your teachers weren't fresh out of college, you probably don't which were in sororities, but if you will contact some by phone or email, you might be surprised at the number of women you already know who are NPC alumnae and the number of people they can put you in touch with.

As someone above noted, you really do want to get in touch with girls you already know who might be greek at UGA. They will offer you practical advice with getting ready for the process and may have leads on recommendations.

UGA is a weird place to rush and try to keep in mind that some stuff isn't in your control. Don't get your feelings hurt if you don't get some of the invitations to later rounds that you want. Hang in there and consider which of the groups you like best as you get into the later rounds of recruitment. If you keep an open mind and stay positive, there's a really good chance that you can find a group that you really like who really wants you as a member.

ETA: in response to your particular questions: I've heard that no group cuts based on recs. I can't image how anyone could know that, but a Greek Chat poster who served as a recruitment counselor one year said that is what they were told. Personally, I wouldn't chance it, and I'd put as much effort as I could into getting recs for all the chapters. I don't know if you really need four or five, but having one for each is probably pretty important.

For everything else, read The Pointer: http://www.uga.edu/panhellenic/forms/POINTER2008.pdf
It's the official UGA Campus Panhellenic guide, and ask a girl who went through last year. We can all tell you what we'd like to be true and what would be common sense, but that might not have anything to do with how things actually go down.

[dgdramadawg]

First, congrats on choosing UGA! I am going to try to answer the questions that haven't been answered below... sorry if I end up repeating any info.

How can I possible get 3 or 4 for every sorority? 3 or 4 would be considered a lot. I would shoot for 2... but getting 1 is the important thing. The above suggestions about contacting your local panhellenic and asking teachers are a good idea.

If you don't have recommendations are you automatically cut? That would be considered private membership selection information, so no one on here will be able to tell you for sure. What I can say from my experience is that I was cut by every house for which I did not have a rec after round 1... however, that doesn't mean I was cut for not having recs; it could have been something else entirely! The best idea is to get recs for as many houses as you can.

But with over 1000 plus girls ( this has been on several threads) rushing how do the sisters really get a chance to know you with only a few minutes at each party? It's just as tough as having to rank the chapters after only a few minutes at each party. Just like it's hard sometimes to remember all 17 houses at the end of the round, it's hard to remember all 1000 PNMs. The houses all have their own special ways of breaking things down so it's easier to meet/get to know/remember every girl as much as possible.

Also, several threads have said dress one step up from what is expected. Does that mean a dress and heels, I heard there is a ton of walking, should you carry your heels for the parties and wear something else before you get to each? I totally wished that I had carried heels and changed when I rushed, so I recommend that! Cute sandals are also a good idea... Vera Bradley sells the cutest flip-flops that are really comfy and also stylish.

I hope that helps some!

[FSUZeta]

wasn't there a thread last year that had photos from each day of uga rush, so that this poster and other uga pnms could see what those girls wore?

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

wasn't there a thread last year that had photos from each day of uga rush, so that this poster and other uga pnms could see what those girls wore?

If there wasn't, one thread had a link to a place which did show photos.

[UGAalum94]

The Pointer provides that, but I don't know how (nor am I really interested in learning) how to re-post photos out in the thread.

Sincerely, any PNM going through recruitment at UGA should read all the way through that thing anyway. It covers so much.

(I would love to have a collection of The Pointers over time. I bet the fashions would be a riot.)

http://www.uga.edu/panhellenic/forms/POINTER2008.pdf

Pages 11 and 12 have the photos and a list.

[Dal319]

I just posted this in another thread about UGA recruitment, so sorry if some of ya'll are reading it twice!

I'm a member of a professional sorority at UGA, and I've been reading a bunch of threads about Panhellenic recruitment just for kicks. I did not go through a formal rush like theirs, but I have several friends who did at UGA and I have some specific advice for you.
First off, welcome to the Bulldog Nation!!!!!
Secondly, you'll be walking down Milledge (and a couple on-campus locations) in the hot hot hot sweltering humidity of the Georgia summer. I know there's a lot of stressing on "how to dress" for recruitment, but I reckon you'll be needing sundresses and nice, comfy shoes. Go for flip-flops that won't give you blisters, but wear nicer ones that match your sundress (i.e. no "footprints" in the sole!), maybe even those ones with the little kitten heels. Also, I don't know if the UGA Panhellenic council has rules on how you're supposed to wear your hair, but if you can wear it however you want, I suggest a ponytail, simply because it's going to be easy and your hair won't be sticking to the back of your neck!
Oh. And they're serious about the black and white dress thing, because even in my sorority actives wear one color and new members (we call them MCs, Membership Candidates) wear the other, so that when pictures are taken at initiation and activation it is clear who has just joined!
If you have any questions about teachers, classes, or majors at UGA feel free to contact me. I don't know much about reputations on campus, so I can't answer any questions about that though...

[dgdramadawg]

Originally Posted by Dal319

Also, I don't know if the UGA Panhellenic council has rules on how you're supposed to wear your hair, but if you can wear it however you want, I suggest a ponytail, simply because it's going to be easy and your hair won't be sticking to the back of your neck!

A note on this for PNMs... if you are going to wear a ponytail, it should be a dressy, cute one that you could get away with wearing with your sundress for a night out. Very few people have hair that looks amazing in a ponytail all day long (I know I am not one of them). You certainly don't want to be the chick with the limp, icky ponytail by lunchtime.

[FSUZeta]

there are no rules for how a pnm should wear her hair.