A Recruitment Reality Check

[MaggieXi]

I think I know which school the OP goes to and I believe that when the PNMs sign up they sign a document electronically that state s that by going through recruitment you are not guaranteed a bid, and that is even if you attend 2 pref parties. It shouldn't happen - but it does.

As for the GPA requirement, we have often seen on these boards that even if a PNM has a minimum of a 2.75 to sign up for recruitment, each individual sorority may have their own minimum which is often higher than the mimimum of a 2.75. Often sororities will not disclose that information because it is part of their membership selection.

As for your legacy status, and if you are at the campus where I think you are at, there are certain groups who may have more legacies than qouta will allow. Some of those legacies will get cut. Also, each sorority has their own legacy policy and just because it is a female relative (aunt, cousin, etc), doesn't mean you are a legacy according to that chapter's policy.

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by MaggieXi

As for the GPA requirement, we have often seen on these boards that even if a PNM has a minimum of a 2.75 to sign up for recruitment, each individual sorority may have their own minimum which is often higher than the minimum of a 2.75. Often sororities will not disclose that information because it is part of their membership selection.

The bolded bit upsets me. I know that each school has its minimum GPA and each sorority has its national minimum, which is often higher, and that some individual chapters may have even higher GPA requirements than what nationals sets. However, it bothers me when the minimum for each chapter, regardless of at what level it's set, isn't disclosed to PNMs beforehand. They should know that going in so they can make educated decisions about the chapters and not get their hopes up unrealistically. I think having that info privileged because it's "part of MS" is, frankly, BS.

Now I can imagine another scenario: a chapter has a minimum GPA of 3.0. They've already made all their cuts after first round and still have more women than release figures allow them to invite back, so they go through and cut those with the lowest GPAs until they reduce the list to its appropriate size. Say they weren't able to stop until they hit 3.15, making that their effective chapter minimum. That number, I agree, would be part of MS. If that's what was being talked about here, then I'm cool. But for a chapter to say, "We have a minimum GPA and it's confidential, sorry," is really crappy.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

The bolded bit upsets me. I know that each school has its minimum GPA and each sorority has its national minimum, which is often higher, and that some individual chapters may have even higher GPAs requirements than what nationals sets. However, it bothers me when the minimum for each chapter, regardless of at what level it's set, isn't disclosed to PNMs beforehand. They should know that going in so they can make educated decisions about the chapters and not get their hopes up unrealistically. I think having that info privileged because it's "part of MS" is, frankly, BS.

Now I can imagine another scenario: a chapter has a minimum GPA of 3.0. They've already made all their cuts after first round and still have more women than release figures allow them to invite back, so they go through and cut those with the lowest GPAs until they reduce the list to its appropriate size. Say they weren't able to stop until they hit 3.15, making that their effective chapter minimum. That number, I agree, would be part of MS. If that's what was being talked about here, then I'm cool. But for a chapter to say, "We have a minimum GPA and its confidential, sorry," is really crappy.

Agreed. W&L did disclose all the individual chapter's requirements beforehand. It always shocked me that some PNMs who met the bare minimum Panhel requirement to participate (2.0), but fell below all the individual chapter's GPA (I think the lowest one was a 2.25--actually maybe all the groups but one had a 2.25) requirements would still participate!

[MaggieXi]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

The bolded bit upsets me. I know that each school has its minimum GPA and each sorority has its national minimum, which is often higher, and that some individual chapters may have even higher GPAs requirements than what nationals sets. However, it bothers me when the minimum for each chapter, regardless of at what level it's set, isn't disclosed to PNMs beforehand. They should know that going in so they can make educated decisions about the chapters and not get their hopes up unrealistically. I think having that info privileged because it's "part of MS" is, frankly, BS.

Now I can imagine another scenario: a chapter has a minimum GPA of 3.0. They've already made all their cuts after first round and still have more women than release figures allow them to invite back, so they go through and cut those with the lowest GPAs until they reduce the list to its appropriate size. Say they weren't able to stop until they hit 3.15, making that their effective chapter minimum. That number, I agree, would be part of MS. If that's what was being talked about here, then I'm cool. But for a chapter to say, "We have a minimum GPA and its confidential, sorry," is really crappy.

I understand what you are saying, but if it is part of membership selection -- as I have heard it is for some sororities, its up to the individual sorority to make that decision whether or not to advise the PNMs. Bottom line that membership selection is confidential, some people will say that thats crappy too.

Like I said before, I think I know where the OP goes to school and the GPAs for almost all the sororities are all over a 3.0. Obviously, some must be lower than a 3.0 to get that average, but when you have a large percentage of PNMs with high GPAs, unfortunately, the girls with lower ones could be very well on the bubble of being cut. Plus I am just putting it out there, but girls with lower GPAs could be scrutenized more carefully at more competitive campus'. You can have a girl with a 2.75, the minimum to rush, but she also holds an student government position, is involved with the student newspaper and plays a sport. Whereas, you can have a girl with a 2.75 who isn't involved in anything.

I would think most of us would agree that grade cuts usually come early on. The OP in this situation was cross-cut on bid day.

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by MaggieXi

I understand what you are saying, but if it is part of membership selection -- as I have heard it is for some sororities, its up to the individual sorority to make that decision whether or not to advise the PNMs. Bottom line that membership selection is confidential, some people will say that thats crappy too.

I don't think MS's confidentiality is crappy. But if there are arbitrary metrics for choosing PNMs, why can't those be public? It just seems off to me. Who are these organizations that have a confidential minimum GPA?

Like I said before, I think I know where the OP goes to school and the GPAs for almost all the sororities are all over a 3.0. Obviously, some must be lower than a 3.0 to get that average, but when you have a large percentage of PNMs with high GPAs, unfortunately, the girls with lower ones could be very well on the bubble of being cut.

No disagreement here; that's exactly the point I was trying to make above.

Plus I am just putting it out there, but girls with lower GPAs could be scrutenized more carefully at more competitive campus'. You can have a girl with a 2.75, the minimum to rush, but she also holds an student government position, is involved with the student newspaper and plays a sport. Whereas, you can have a girl with a 2.75 who isn't involved in anything.

Again, no disagreement here.

I would think most of us would agree that grade cuts usually come early on.

Yes, as they should. There's no reason to hold out false hope. My chapter always tried to make them at first round if at all possible.

The OP in this situation was cross-cut on bid day.

I understand. I really wasn't commenting on her situation.

[Zillini]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

Now I can imagine another scenario: a chapter has a minimum GPA of 3.0. They've already made all their cuts after first round and still have more women than release figures allow them to invite back, so they go through and cut those with the lowest GPAs until they reduce the list to its appropriate size. Say they weren't able to stop until they hit 3.15, making that their effective chapter minimum. That number, I agree, would be part of MS. If that's what was being talked about here, then I'm cool. But for a chapter to say, "We have a minimum GPA and it's confidential, sorry," is really crappy.

Certainly that scenario is a possibility, but I have never seen it and I doubt I ever will. IMHO nobody likes "automatic cuts" because they're just that, automatic. Even with the huge numbers of PNM's we have going through recruitment on our campus, actives still want a say in who gets cut and who gets invited back via scores/voting. I can't tell you how many angry actives I've seen over the years who's fav PNM was released because her GPA wasn't good enough.

Besides most Chapters that I know of (anecdotal proof only) have their minimum GPA set well before Recruitment even starts. Whether it is via their I/natl guidelines, bylaws or some other local/internal policy, once it's set it's a done deal. There is no changing it.

Like I said earlier, the best way to estimate minimum GPA requirements is to look at the last several semesters of Panhellenic and individual Chapters GPAs. Being on a campus with a highly competitive recruitment typically means it's competitive in other areas of Greek/campus life as well. It's a fairly safe bet that the battle for grade rankings is incredibly intense. Being #1, close to the top or having leaped up a bunch of positions in a year is a great "selling" point during Recruitment. It shows how committed a Chapter is to scholastics.

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by Zillini

Like I said earlier, the best way to estimate minimum GPA requirements is to look at the last several semesters of Panhellenic and individual Chapters GPAs. Being on a campus with a highly competitive recruitment typically means it's competitive in other areas of Greek/campus life as well. It's a fairly safe bet that the battle for grade rankings is incredibly intense. Being #1, close to the top or having leaped up a bunch of positions in a year is a great "selling" point during Recruitment. It shows how committed a Chapter is to scholastics.

Oh, I agree completely. I think that if a PNM is rushing and her GPA isn't the greatest coming from HS, or if she has college grades and is below the averages, she should have a realistic chat with herself that maybe her grades aren't good enough... especially if she's below the PH average and is shooting for one of the top chapters in terms of grades.