Alabama Recruitment

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by libelle

Once upon a time the state universities in Alabama operated on different calendars. For eg Auburn and South (Alabama) were on the quarter system. Bama was on the semester system. Auburn and South began almost a month later than Bama. It was not unusual for a disappointed PNM to transfer to South which had/s a smaller Greek system. However, it would have been very unusual for a Bama student to transfer to Auburn. It would be heresy.

The calendars were rationalized so that everyone is on a semester calendar making it much easier to transfer among cc's and the universities. And now rush is almost concurrent across the campuses.

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss. Since Auburn and Alabama have recruitment before their semesters starts and Ole Miss usually doesn't begin until the last week in August, it gives a student time to leave one school and head to another. I know of a PNM about 4 years ago who didn't get her first choice at Alabama and she did get that first choice here at Ole Miss. They just pay the fees for both schools and if they get their first choice they cancel their applications with the other school. If they don't get their first choice they come here and "withdraw" from the other University. I have seen it about a handful of times. But it does happen.
I also remember when I went through recruitment way back in 1996 (before they moved recruitment) there were two girls in my dorm who packed up and left and went to Mississippi State. They didn't get their first choice here so they figured they would get it at MSU. I personally don't agree with it at all. I can't believe some parents would even suggest or encourage it.

[Nhfulmer]

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss. Since Auburn and Alabama have recruitment before their semesters starts and Ole Miss usually doesn't begin until the last week in August, it gives a student time to leave one school and head to another. I know of a PNM about 4 years ago who didn't get her first choice at Alabama and she did get that first choice here at Ole Miss. They just pay the fees for both schools and if they get their first choice they cancel their applications with the other school. If they don't get their first choice they come here and "withdraw" from the other University. I have seen it about a handful of times. But it does happen.
I also remember when I went through recruitment way back in 1996 (before they moved recruitment) there were two girls in my dorm who packed up and left and went to Mississippi State. They didn't get their first choice here so they figured they would get it at MSU. I personally don't agree with it at all. I can't believe some parents would even suggest or encourage it.

I heard from an advisor at Bama that two girls transferred to Ole Miss this year after they were released after the first round. Don't know if it's true or not but she is always completely on top of things and in the know.

[BlueCarnation]

Originally Posted by Nhfulmer

I heard from an advisor at Bama that two girls transferred to Ole Miss this year after they were released after the first round. Don't know if it's true or not but she is always completely on top of things and in the know.

Isn't recruitment competitive there as well? Is it just a matter of degrees of competitiveness between the schools?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Nhfulmer

I heard from an advisor at Bama that two girls transferred to Ole Miss this year after they were released after the first round. Don't know if it's true or not but she is always completely on top of things and in the know.

Out of the frying pan into the fire, if you ask me.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Out of the frying pan into the fire, if you ask me.

That's exactly what I was thinking...from 17 sororities to 9? Then again, I would assume most of the girls that do this are set on one or two and if they don't get them they won't pledge, so I guess the number of groups on campus is kind of a moot point.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss.

I personally know 2 girls who left Alabama after an unsuccessful recruitment and transferred to Auburn the next year. One pledged. The other did not...and transferred again to a smaller school and finally pledged a group.

And I've heard of it happening, but it's certainly not a common thing.

When I was in school, I remember our "rush chairman" calling both our Ole Miss and Miss. State chapters to swap names of girls who had done this...PNMs don't realize there is a good bit of communication...and I'm sure even more now that there's e-mail.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss. Since Auburn and Alabama have recruitment before their semesters starts and Ole Miss usually doesn't begin until the last week in August, it gives a student time to leave one school and head to another. I know of a PNM about 4 years ago who didn't get her first choice at Alabama and she did get that first choice here at Ole Miss. They just pay the fees for both schools and if they get their first choice they cancel their applications with the other school. If they don't get their first choice they come here and "withdraw" from the other University. I have seen it about a handful of times. But it does happen.
I also remember when I went through recruitment way back in 1996 (before they moved recruitment) there were two girls in my dorm who packed up and left and went to Mississippi State. They didn't get their first choice here so they figured they would get it at MSU. I personally don't agree with it at all. I can't believe some parents would even suggest or encourage it.

Do these women then attempt to transfer BACK to their old school and affiliate with that chapter once they get a bid?

I've heard of that happening.

Like, Suzie gets released from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Auburn, gets a bid to ABC, then transfers BACK to Bama and becomes a Bama ABC.

Or Suzie gets cut from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Smaller Alabama University, pledges ABC and returns.

[Txborn]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Do these women then attempt to transfer BACK to their old school and affiliate with that chapter once they get a bid?

I've heard of that happening.

Like, Suzie gets released from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Auburn, gets a bid to ABC, then transfers BACK to Bama and becomes a Bama ABC.

Or Suzie gets cut from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Smaller Alabama University, pledges ABC and returns.

Some did transfer and try to affiliate. Some would start at other schools and transfer as soph and affiliate.

Things are alot different now, because Texas is so difficult to get into. A lot of kids do transfer as soph because they couldn't get in as freshman. So you don't really see this happening like in the 70 and 80s.

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Do these women then attempt to transfer BACK to their old school and affiliate with that chapter once they get a bid?

I've heard of that happening.

Like, Suzie gets released from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Auburn, gets a bid to ABC, then transfers BACK to Bama and becomes a Bama ABC.

Or Suzie gets cut from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Smaller Alabama University, pledges ABC and returns.

It depends. My neighbor freshman year in the dorm was from Dallas. She didn't have the best grades so she didn't get into Texas. She knew even if she did get into Texas she wouldn't have gotten her first choice there. So she came to Ole Miss got her grades up and pledged her first choice at Ole Miss which happens to be a very competitive chapter at Texas. Her sophomore year she transferred. I don't know if she ever affiliated or not.

I know of a girl who pledged AOII with me. She dropped out before initiation. She transferred to State her sophomore year. She pledged her “first choice” down at State and then transferred back to Ole Miss to affiliate with the group who had initially released her. Because this particular group has so many transfers trying to affiliate already she was not able to affiliate and she ended up receiving alumna status. So all of her hopping around really ended up adding nothing to her collegiate sorority experience.

It totally happens at all levels. Do I agree, not really. But if that's how someone wants to be happy in life, go for it.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

Because this particular group has so many transfers trying to affiliate already she was not able to affiliate and she ended up receiving alumna status. So all of her hopping around really ended up adding nothing to her collegiate sorority experience.

It totally happens at all levels. Do I agree, not really. But if that's how someone wants to be happy in life, go for it.

Yeah, I've heard of chapters who simply just can't take transfer affiliates because there are too many girls trying to transfer in.

I don't get why someone would do it if there was no guarantee of being able to affiliate.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Do these women then attempt to transfer BACK to their old school and affiliate with that chapter once they get a bid?

I've heard of that happening.

Like, Suzie gets released from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Auburn, gets a bid to ABC, then transfers BACK to Bama and becomes a Bama ABC.

Or Suzie gets cut from ABC at Bama, so she transfers to Smaller Alabama University, pledges ABC and returns.

THis happened at my school.

PNM rushes with plans of joining *only* XYZ. Nevermind that she did not have the family connections, appearance, or personality to be one. Of course she got cut after 2nd round and she dropped out.

She spends the rest of freshman year saying that she will rush again to be an XYZ. So, sophomore year she rushes again. By 2nd round she has been cut from all chapters, including her beloved XYZ. Since rush was before school started, she then transferred back to her hometown, tiny, non-competitive campus and pledges their chapter of XYZ.

Junior year she shows back up again on our campus and tries to affiliate with those same girls who cut her twice.

Make that three times. They did not vote to affiliate her.

She stayed at our school through graduation and wore her letters all the time. The members of XYZ did not give her the time of day.

It is a shame. Our campus had 10 fantastic chapters, but she would not consider any of the others for even a second. Oh well. Her loss.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

THis happened at my school.

PNM rushes with plans of joining *only* XYZ. Nevermind that she did not have the family connections, appearance, or personality to be one. Of course she got cut after 2nd round and she dropped out.

She spends the rest of freshman year saying that she will rush again to be an XYZ. So, sophomore year she rushes again. By 2nd round she has been cut from all chapters, including her beloved XYZ. Since rush was before school started, she then transferred back to her hometown, tiny, non-competitive campus and pledges their chapter of XYZ.

Junior year she shows back up again on our campus and tries to affiliate with those same girls who cut her twice.

Make that three times. They did not vote to affiliate her.

She stayed at our school through graduation and wore her letters all the time. The members of XYZ did not give her the time of day.

It is a shame. Our campus had 10 fantastic chapters, but she would not consider any of the others for even a second. Oh well. Her loss.

Okay, this is clearly crazy behavior, and it would make me kind of nervous to have this person as a sister at any level of membership.

But I still don't really like it generally when chapters deny affiliation.

[Loyally Kappa]

Since I'm living in Oxford now and am teaching at Ole Miss, I am learning a little bit about what goes on here. I will say that the sorority and fraternity houses on on the Ole Miss campus are the most stunningly beautiful and highest quality that I have ever seen anywhere.

Sorority recruitment will occur September 20-27 this year. Classes begin this coming Monday, August 24. What I understand from other faculty members who have been around for awhile is that there used to be an exodus of young ladies transfering away from Ole Miss after rush who did not get the sorority they wanted. Not sure when this went into effect, but the dates are now set so that it will be too late for anyone to withdraw and transfer AND get their tuition money back. They are "stuck" for at least one semester and perhaps they will adjust to the situation.

'Course, now, this is my first semester here, so it will be interesting to see if recruitment disrupts classes. At first I couldn't fathom how they could get all of the parties in, but there are only 8 Panhellenic sororities here. According the schedule posted at http://www.dosolemiss.com/page.php?p...page_id=107788, they don't do a round of open parties.

Round 1 (Philanthropy Round): Sept. 23-24th
Round 2 (Skit Round): Sept. 25th
Round 3 (Preference Round): Sept. 26th
BID DAY: Sept. 27th

I count a total of 34 Rho Chis, so if I estimate 25 PNMs assigned to each, there ought to be around 850 girls going through recruitment here. One of them is a close friend of my daughter who just pledged Tri Delta at Alabama ... but there is nothing to stop me from sending an additional rec to the Kappa house now that I'm here, is there?

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

There have been a handful of PNMs who didn't get their first choice at Alabama or Auburn and guess what? They transferred to Ole Miss. Since Auburn and Alabama have recruitment before their semesters starts and Ole Miss usually doesn't begin until the last week in August, it gives a student time to leave one school and head to another. I know of a PNM about 4 years ago who didn't get her first choice at Alabama and she did get that first choice here at Ole Miss. They just pay the fees for both schools and if they get their first choice they cancel their applications with the other school. If they don't get their first choice they come here and "withdraw" from the other University. I have seen it about a handful of times. But it does happen.
I also remember when I went through recruitment way back in 1996 (before they moved recruitment) there were two girls in my dorm who packed up and left and went to Mississippi State. They didn't get their first choice here so they figured they would get it at MSU. I personally don't agree with it at all. I can't believe some parents would even suggest or encourage it.

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by Loyally Kappa

Not sure when this went into effect, but the dates are now set so that it will be too late for anyone to withdraw and transfer AND get their tuition money back. They are "stuck" for at least one semester and perhaps they will adjust to the situation.

The year I went through in 1996 was the last year it was before school started. Then in Fall of 1997 they started "deferred." Some years it is 6 weeks into classes, other years it has been longer and even shorter. But the retention rates have improved a bit but not that much. (I have those stats at work and I believe the Office of Institutional Research has those online as well.)

Glad you are liking Oxford Loyally Kappa! After I graduated I never left!

[RobD]

Thank you for all the information here! I am an OOS Mom whose D will probably be at UA next fall. There are absolutely no Greek connections on either side of the family, as we are originally from the Northeast. I've just read through this entire thread with my D next to me and we've learned so much.

I have a question that may be answered somewhere else on this site so my apologies if that is the case: in a few of the posts, there was mention about the "reputation" of particular sororities; some seem to have more wealthy, socially connected members, etc. Is there anyway to find out those types of reputations before arriving on campus? And does that reputation follow that sorority from campus to campus?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
RobD