Hi,
I've just finished my first year at University in England and in mid August, I'm due to be starting at UC Berkeley for an (EAP) exchange year. I'm really excited and can't wait to go. I've been researching all about student organisations/greek life/everything I can get involved in when starting in the fall and I've decided I really want to rush a sorority.
I want to rush a sorority for several reasons. I was initially attracted to the idea because I want to have a "typical American college experience" and there are no greek organisations for 'college' students in the UK. It's truly something different. After looking at the general 'cal greeks' webpage, and then individual sororities webpages I then got further excited by the idea of 'belonging to a sisterhood,' getting to do lots of volunteering, the range of social events on offer, and the academic support on offer.
It just looks like they have a really great time and that it would be a unique experience!
So, the question is - How easy/difficult is it to get involved, how do I stand out, what do I need to know before filling in the online application. So far, all I've got to go on is the 'stereotypes' in films, and information on various websites, so as you can imagine I'm a little worried - I don't want to put my foot in it!
So here's a little info about me:
I'm 19, and will be entering the 'Junior' year when I go abroad. I've been heavily involved with student organisations at my home uni: I write for the student newspaper, play in the concert orchestra, go kayaking and do Canoe Polo and am part of the History Society (I'm studying History as my major).
I come from a small village, would describe my self as middle class and am well travelled. I'm not dead skinny but I'm not obese either (although I notice a lot of the girls on the sorority websites are on the skinny side and very pretty). I'm no beauty queen but I don't regard my self as hideous either. I previously had glasses/acne/braces (all the typical teen problems etc) so lacked confidence around those who I felt were intimidating for many years. However, I got contact lenses, just before starting uni last year, my acne's pretty much cleared up, and my braces came off a couple of years ago - my confidence has soared this year (mainly due to the contacts).
I'm a very chatty, love a good challenge, can be bossy when I need to be and friends would describe me best as 'friendly,' 'clever' and 'honest' (although my one friend says I'm a bit uptight as I get sensitive about people judging me by my looks before getting to know me properly. I also don't warm well to people who have no aspirations in life-apparently I've become a lot more laid back since entering University).
I also wanted to ask about this GPA thing - I have no previous GPA as we don't have them in the UK - but I assume entering freshmen won't have a college GPA either yet? I've been getting mid 2.1s (that's good in the UK) for essays and got AAA at A Level. I'd hope the fact that I got on a very competetive exchange scheme (that requires equivalent to a 3.0 GPA for entry) a marker on my good grades and reflective of my involvement in activities at my home university.
Sorry this is such a long post, but I don't really know what to ask - I'm a complete foreigner to the experience (lol).
Also, with letters of recommendation - I know no one who went to an American university (nor do my parents/extended family/friends), thus my chances of getting a letter from any Greek Alumnae are slim. On the individual sorority websites, it says recs aren't necessary - but after discovering this website, I'm now worried that my chances of getting into a sorority are greatly diminished!
Also, is my foreign background (British) likely to go against me? I know a number of the sororties at Cal said they had members on study-abroad programmes similar to mine - I'd hope they'd be fairly welcoming?
Hope you can help (if you make it to the end of this post
)! This site is really insightful by the way!
Thanks xxx
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