I need advice asap on a gpa situation!

NeedsAdvice · #1 10-04-2009, 07:25 PM

I will start by saying that i did use the search function and could not find anything that pertained to my specific problem so please don't tell me to try that. I have been reading the great advice on GC all summer for my upcoming recruitment. I am a Junior transfer at my school and in high school had a 3.7 gpa. I know that high school gpa doesn't matter anymore i'm just putting it out there to show that I am a good student.
I signed up for recruitment and then was notified that my 2.79 transfer gpa was flagged in the "gray area" for gpas and i'm not sure what "gray area" means in this case. I know that my school has 2.5 gpa requirement for recruitment and I thought my 2.79 meant that I was in the clear for grades. They said we can write a letter to explain the situation for our low gpa and i'm really not sure what to do. I was caught off guard about this information and am very confused. I don't feel that a b/b- average is a horrible gpa and of course they are letting other girls rush with as low as 2.5. My last two gpas were a 3.8 and 3.2 but I have a lower from my freshman year that is bringing my overall down. I know that I am a good student and I am slowly but surely raising my gpa.
I know that my junior status already is a strike against me and now with this I feel like I am going to be dropped after the first night! I do have a somewhat decent explanation for the one semester gpa that is bringing down my overall gpa but i need some advice from you gcer's! Why am I in this gray area? How long should my letter be? I am just really nervous and confused now. I feel really unconfident about recruitment because it seems everything is working against me.

KSUViolet06 · #2 10-04-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeedsAdvice

I will start by saying that i did use the search function and could not find anything that pertained to my specific problem so please don't tell me to try that. I have been reading the great advice on GC all summer for my upcoming recruitment. I am a Junior transfer at my school and in high school had a 3.7 gpa.

I know that high school gpa doesn't matter anymore i'm just putting it out there to show that I am a good student.

I signed up for recruitment and then was notified that my 2.79 transfer gpa was flagged in the "gray area" for gpas and i'm not sure what "gray area" means in this case.

I know that my school has 2.5 gpa requirement for recruitment and I thought my 2.79 meant that I was in the clear for grades.

They said we can write a letter to explain the situation for our low gpa and i'm really not sure what to do. I was caught off guard about this information and am very confused. I don't feel that a b/b- average is a horrible gpa and of course they are letting other girls rush with as low as 2.5

. My last two gpas were a 3.8 and 3.2 but I have a lower from my freshman year that is bringing my overall down. I know that I am a good student and I am slowly but surely raising my gpa.

I know that my junior status already is a strike against me and now with this I feel like I am going to be dropped after the first night! I do have a somewhat decent explanation for the one semester gpa that is bringing down my overall gpa but i need some advice from you gcer's! Why am I in this gray area? How long should my letter be? I am just really nervous and confused now. I feel really unconfident about recruitment because it seems everything is working against me.

Here is what I think they mean about the "gray area."

Panhellenic/Greek Life sets the requirement of 2.5 to participate in recruitment.

However, each CHAPTER sets it's OWN indivdual GPA requirement. Those may be higher than 2.5.

So, you have have a high enough GPA to rush, but your GPA could be potentially lower than many of the chapter GPAs.

Example: you have a 2.79, but ABC Sorority requires a 2.8, and XYZ requires a 2.9.

The letter may serve to explain your low GPA to some of the chapters, so they can see that you have had higher grades in the past.

Granted they may or may not be willing to take girls who are below their requirements, but it's best to write the letter and see.

This is just what I'm thinking.

FSUZeta · #3 10-04-2009, 07:38 PM

just guessing here, but it may be that the chapters on your campus ordinarily require a higher gpa for the pnms they want to pledge. for instance, the chapters may all actually pledge girls with nothing lower than a 3.0. if that is the case, you might be considered in a grey area because your overall gpa is below that, but you have done well your last 2 semesters.

since they suggested writing a letter to explain your gpa, i think it might be worth a try.

Benzgirl · #4 10-04-2009, 08:12 PM

Not knowing your school, in most cases being a Junior puts you at a disadvantage. Double that with your low GPA, and you are a grade-risk.

Many college Greek websites list the Semester GPA rankings for all of their chapters. In most cases you will see Chapter Averages above a 3.0. If you are hoping to join a chapter that is traditionally at the top of the scholarship rankings, you might be disappointed. It doesn't matter that the last two semesters were much higher; they only look at the average.

NeedsAdvice · #5 10-04-2009, 08:16 PM

I am going to write the letter to explain. I am just depressed about the situation now because I have been working very hard to make up my gpa and I thought i was doing well. Does it even matter what my most recent semester gpa was? it was much higher than my overall gpa and I would assume that would show that I am working on academics and improving greatly. Also I know that one house on my campus has a 2.7 gpa requirement to stay active but is that the same as the gpa requirement to get a bid?

Benzgirl · #6 10-04-2009, 08:24 PM

On second thought, your grades may not be so bad in comparison. These are Spring 2008, so they are somewhat dated, but are not as high as most schools.

Alpha Chi Omega 2.936
Delta Gamma 2.824
Gamma Phi Beta 2.740
Kappa Kappa Gamma 2.675
Pi Beta Phi 2.613
Sigma Kappa 2.763

NeedsAdvice · #7 10-04-2009, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

On second thought, your grades may not be so bad in comparison. These are Spring 2008, so they are somewhat dated, but are not as high as most schools.

Alpha Chi Omega 2.936
Delta Gamma 2.824
Gamma Phi Beta 2.740
Kappa Kappa Gamma 2.675
Pi Beta Phi 2.613
Sigma Kappa 2.763

I think you guessed the wrong school. But knowing that some schools are lower is motivating. Sigma Kappa is not a current sorority at my school but the others are. I tried looking for the grade rankings at my school and didn't have any luck. Our greek life website is not very helpful compared to others I have seen.

KSUViolet06 · #8 10-04-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeedsAdvice

I am going to write the letter to explain. I am just depressed about the situation now because I have been working very hard to make up my gpa and I thought i was doing well. Does it even matter what my most recent semester gpa was? it was much higher than my overall gpa and I would assume that would show that I am working on academics and improving greatly. Also I know that one house on my campus has a 2.7 gpa requirement to stay active but is that the same as the gpa requirement to get a bid?

I'd imagine that all sororities are interested in your cumulative/overall GPA.

If you need a 2.7 to stay active, it is likely that you will need that in order to get a bid or at least get initiated (if you can get a bid with a lower GPA).

texas*princess · #9 10-04-2009, 08:36 PM

Agreed w/ KSU.

If you need a 2.7 to stay active, I'd imagine that would be the absolute minimum that they would accept for nms.

Zillini · #10 10-04-2009, 08:47 PM

Every Chapter can be different. Some may consider your most recent semester GPAs, especially if they really like you. That would provide a good justification to support a request/decision for grade exception status because you have proven you can make the grades. But there are no guarantees.

Frankly I've never heard of a Panhellenic asking a PNM to provide a letter of explanation, but I like the idea. Usually in these types of situations the only recourse a PNM has is for a Rec writer to explain. You have the unique opportunity to tell your story in your own words of how/why one semester is dragging down your cumulative. All you can do is hope they take it into consideration.

As for the minimum GPA for a member to remain active, no that is not always the same as the minimum to be eligible to become a new member. A Chapter may want to raise their GPA ranking. This can't just happen overnight and so a long term plan is developed. Part of that plan may be they will only consider PNMs with a higher GPA than in times past. Plus there's the simple easy cut reason. If there are 500 PNMs and you can only invite back 300, GPA is an easy non-personal cut.

FYI - Actually Chapters may have several "minimums" that can vary: an I/natl minimum to remain active vs a local minimum which may be higher; a minimum to hold an office; for an active to have zero weekly study hall hours or X hours or Y hours; to be active but be on partial or full social probation; or the worst case to be considered for membership cancellation (after more than just 1 bad semester).

Benzgirl · #11 10-04-2009, 08:51 PM

Sorry, I was reading too many threads at once. Another referenced UCR. Back to our regularly scheduled program.

kddani · #12 10-04-2009, 09:17 PM

Honestly, unless you were caring for a mother or father who was dying or were going through some sort of serious, life-threatening disease yourself, an "explanation letter" just sounds like a b.s. excuse. Unless there is a real, very serious reason for your grades being so poor freshman year, an explanation letter is not going to impress anyone. I have no idea what your reasoning is for your poor, but can only assume that it wasn't a serious illness or else you would've probably mentioned it.

Screwing up your freshman year because of immaturity, not taking it seriously, partying too much, or whatever other reason people screw up their freshman year, isn't going to impress anyone or get sympathy. Kudos to you for getting your grades up, but you still have to accept and deal with the choices you made your freshman year to get poor grades.

If you're a a) junior; b) transfer AND c) have a low GPA, the chips are stacked against you.

UGAalum94 · #13 10-04-2009, 09:23 PM

I think it's great the college gave a heads up about the GPA being problematic, and my guess is that the explanation letter is offered to everyone so that if there were important extenuating circumstances for any PNM, the chapters would learn about it.

I also think it's kind of funny how common grade inflation has become. The grade distribution that Benzgirl posted should probably reflect grades a little better than the campus average if grades really went along with a C being average. Instead, now they look low, and GLO have up-ed their standards accordingly.

ETA: I agree that the OP might have a really hard recruitment, but all she can do is try if she wants to be greek. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.

baci · #14 10-04-2009, 09:35 PM

I would just like to add my 2 cents here -

So many freshmen entering have inflated GPAs these days and there is no telling how any of them will perform once they begin their first semester or their first year cum GPA. There have been way too many examples that I have seen where amazing high school GPAs did not continue in college. It is not because the young women did not try, but it is a whole different game than high school. I have also seen the opposite case where lower high school GPAs ended up doing superior in college.

Many young women and men start off rough their first year and continue to do better as they move through college and that is nothing to be ashamed of.

I think if you have an opportunity to write a letter and explain yourself, then by all means do! I agree with Zillini that this is a super time for you to express yourself, so take advantage of it.

The other thing that I wanted to mention is that new members at most schools become sisters before their first semester grades are ever seen. It use to be you pledged first semester and did not get initated until second semester after grades where reported etc. At least you are able to prove that you do have a 2.79 collegiate GPA and hopefully, you can express that your GPA has continued to rise with each semester. I feel your class standing may be the hard part right now.

I wish you luck!

bostongreek · #15 10-04-2009, 09:41 PM

I would just like to make a suggestion. If you have a good reason for your GPA, definitely let the chapters know (and the letter seems like a perfect way to do it) and also let them know that it has been rising, but make sure you do not talk about it too much during the parties! It seems like some PNMs can really focus on one thing that they're worried about to the point where the sororities stop listening to you. Remember, grades are only one part of recruitment.