Hopeful 2011 SEC PNM from "The North"

[DrPhil]

LOL. This is funny.

NoVA is the south, as are D.C. and Maryland. That's both regionally and culturally. Of course, it is often not considered south if you're regionally and culturally comparing it to places further south.

City living and a Northern influence (transfers and commuters) does not make a place nonsouthern. Some of the "biggest bamas" and "most country folk" live in NoVA, D.C., and Maryland.

[southbymidwest]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

NoVA is the south, as are D.C. and Maryland. That's both regionally and culturally. Of course, it is often not considered south if you're regionally and culturally comparing it to places further south.

I think you will find most Southerners do not consider Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC to be "true southern". Voting in these areas tends to skew more liberal as compared to areas further south. A substantial number of people living in these areas are not originally from there, they are from all over the US and have moved there because of military, government or business requirements.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by southbymidwest

I think you will find most Southerners do not consider Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC to be "true southern".

They are very much the south.

(I already mentioned how people further south view that area and transfers and commuters--still the south)

[Gusteau]

LOL to all of this NoVA stuff. I remember meeting kids from Georgia on my senior trip and having one of my friends say that I was going to school in "the South." They asked me where and I said, "George Mason!" and they laughed. I didn't get it (being from New York) until I arrived here and realized that this part of Virginia is assuredly not "the South."

blondieee3: The NoVA Alumnae Panhellenic is very active (I have a few friends from Mason involved in it). There are also some very active alumnae organizations for various NPCs in the DC/Capitol area if you should need another option. I'm sure they get a lot of rec requests since so many young women in this area do end up in SEC schools. Take a look at the Alabama and Auburn bid lists posted on GC and you'll see plenty of girls from NoVA (including Fairfax, woo!).

My only other piece of advice is to worry about getting into school first and joining a sorority after that - but yeah, it is good to be prepared as an out of stater.

ETA: Funny coincidence, but I was just looking at a facebook event for a fundraiser Chi Omega is holding and I saw a reponse on the wall that was something like "Sorry I'm away from Fairfax at school, but I'm a XO now too!" from a Chi Omega new member at South Carolina. I know I spend too much time on GC because I knew she was from USC because of her bid day shirt from the picture violet pretty's thread - ack!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by groovypq

You mean Containment Area for Relocated Yankees??

Some of us remember when Cary was a true little Southern town. (Maybe I should cross-post this in the "things that make you feel old" thread.) There's still a Southern kernel in Cary (and you can still find a few old-timers who call it "Cay-ry"), but it's getting harder and harder to find.

[blondieee3]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

LOL to all of this NoVA stuff. I remember meeting kids from Georgia on my senior trip and having one of my friends say that I was going to school in "the South." They asked me where and I said, "George Mason!" and they laughed. I didn't get it (being from New York) until I arrived here and realized that this part of Virginia is assuredly not "the South."

blondieee3: The NoVA Alumnae Panhellenic is very active (I have a few friends from Mason involved in it). There are also some very active alumnae organizations for various NPCs in the DC/Capitol area if you should need another option. I'm sure they get a lot of rec requests since so many young women in this area do end up in SEC schools. Take a look at the Alabama and Auburn bid lists posted on GC and you'll see plenty of girls from NoVA (including Fairfax, woo!).

My only other piece of advice is to worry about getting into school first and joining a sorority after that - but yeah, it is good to be prepared as an out of stater.

ETA: Funny coincidence, but I was just looking at a facebook event for a fundraiser Chi Omega is holding and I saw a reponse on the wall that was something like "Sorry I'm away from Fairfax at school, but I'm a XO now too!" from a Chi Omega new member at South Carolina. I know I spend too much time on GC because I knew she was from USC because of her bid day shirt from the picture violet pretty's thread - ack!

Hahaha nope! When I visited Tennesse, Alabama, and Georgia recently I realized wherever I go there's gonna be a little bit of culture shock. But I'm ready for the transformation! Lol Did you graduate from Mason? I live about 15 minutes from the campus and it's absolutely blowing up! Sometimes I wish it just wasn't in my backyard. Also from what I've heard from friends at GMU, since it's such a commuter campus, either participating in athletics or going greek are some of the only ways to get that "college experience". But obviously you chose the latter so I'm sure you enjoyed mason

I took your advice and checked out some of the bid lists to find a few girls who graduated from my school on them! Not girls I'm very close with but one I even played basketball with! I go to a high school of about 4,000 kids though so it's not exactly an everybody knows everybody kind of thing. But I'm hoping since there aren't thattt many of us down there, seing their hometown on a rec sheet or something could spark their interest? I'm not sure the new rules about contacting actives but atleast we're already facebook friends? Haha.

I knocked out basically all of my applications this summer so those have been sent along with transcripts and scores! Thanks a ton for all of your helpful information!

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by blondieee3

Hahaha nope! When I visited Tennesse, Alabama, and Georgia recently I realized wherever I go there's gonna be a little bit of culture shock. But I'm ready for the transformation! Lol Did you graduate from Mason? I live about 15 minutes from the campus and it's absolutely blowing up! Sometimes I wish it just wasn't in my backyard. Also from what I've heard from friends at GMU, since it's such a commuter campus, either participating in athletics or going greek are some of the only ways to get that "college experience". But obviously you chose the latter so I'm sure you enjoyed mason

I am a senior at Mason. While I agree that becoming involved in Fraternity & Sorority Life is one of the best ways to become involved at Mason, I do have one small issue here.

George Mason University is not a commuter school, and any current student that tells you that is bitter because Mason wasn't his or her first choice, or blind/stupid. As you noted Mason has been expanding rapidly and has left the majority commuter reputation behind for a few years. In fact, by 2012 we will be the largest residential campus in Virginia. Additionally, the majority of students who choose to live off campus live within a three mile radius of the university and are still very involved in campus life. Unfortunately this is a hard stereotype to break in NoVA, but I'm confident the days of Mason being known as a "commuter school" will soon be a distant memory.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by blondieee3

It's actually pretty crazy that within the same state, you can go from big city "yankee" life, to tiny little farms with confederate flags.

The presence of absence of Confederate flags (itself a misnomer) is what defines an area as Southern?

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

Sorry, ask anyone who's actually from NoVa and they would never say they are southerners. That area is such a modge podge of people, it just can't be called southern. Now, pass over the beltway into Prince William County and beyond, and then maybe I'd believe you.

I know plenty of people from NoVA who readily say they are Southerners, and with good reason because they are. I'm even related to some of them. I know also know plenty of people who live there but are not from there (to use a good old Southernism), who rightly say they are not Southern.

NoVA is Southern, the presence of an at times overwhelming number of non-Southerners living there notwithstanding. And I'd say that whenever a Southerner says NoVA (or Florida) isn't really Southern, that's what they mean -- that "too many" of the people living there aren't Southern.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

The presence of absence of Confederate flags (itself a misnomer) is what defines an area as Southern?

That belief is one reason why some NoVA people are trying to pretend they aren't part of VA and aren't southern. Why be from VA if you only see VA as the home of the confederacy; and why be southern if you have a narrow vision of what the south represents.

It's cool because there are farms with confederate flags in NoVA. At the end of the day, it is all the south and there are different levels of "southerness" depending on where you are in the south and the people who live there. Yes, a NoVA young lady who goes through recruitment at a school in a deeper part of the south may be seen as northern because she is "not as southern as....".

[SthrnZeta]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

I am a senior at Mason. While I agree that becoming involved in Fraternity & Sorority Life is one of the best ways to become involved at Mason, I do have one small issue here.

George Mason University is not a commuter school, and any current student that tells you that is bitter because Mason wasn't his or her first choice, or blind/stupid. As you noted Mason has been expanding rapidly and has left the majority commuter reputation behind for a few years. In fact, by 2012 we will be the largest residential campus in Virginia. Additionally, the majority of students who choose to live off campus live within a three mile radius of the university and are still very involved in campus life. Unfortunately this is a hard stereotype to break in NoVA, but I'm confident the days of Mason being known as a "commuter school" will soon be a distant memory.

So happy to hear this from a current student. It certainly felt different when I visited campus a few weeks ago.

When I was there, it was still very much a commuter campus but I hear that our 2006 basketball season changed the campus vibe to a more traditional feel and I'm glad for that. Honestly, it was my safety school when I was applying but I know that mentality is definitely changing and that just adds more credit to my degree

[Low C Sharp]

to tiny little farms with confederate flags.

Heh. You can find those outside Northern cities too. Not so much in New England, but certainly in places like Indiana.
________

[Pass the Pinot]

My best advice for a great recruitment next year? Enjoy THIS year. Try something new and challenging. Study hard and maintain or improve your grades. Practice being a great conversationalist. Make graciousness a habit. Meet new people and take a genuine interest in their activities and thoughts. This will make your senior year so full and rich that you will enter recruitment with a great spirit and attitude.

Great advice as well as being sure Alabama is where you want to be. You won't have a problem getting in with the grades you list, but make sure it is the best fit for all reasons and for all of your goals.

You are on track to be thinking about recruitment now, with your big emphasis beginning after the 1st of the year. My daughter rushed this fall at a big SEC school, had great everything like you and tons of recs. It was still brutal. Here are some suggestions:

1. Ask your mom to write her circle of friends. For my daughter, I emailed my tennis friends, church friends, club friends, etc and said she would be going through rush. I listed the sororities on campus and asked for help. Other moms in sororities love helping girls like you and I was honored at how much they cared. I am sure this will be the case for you. We asked everyone we ran across and kept a list. Once you have your list, prepare a nice package for the rec writer, including your pictures, resume a nice cover letter, a blank rec form for their sorority (you won't be able to do this for all houses, many are restricted to the members only) and self addressed envlopes with LOTS of postage.

2. Once you are SURE you want UA, you really must start trying to get to know girls in some of the houses there. This is what we did not know going into rush this year. There are just so, so, so many girls going through that on paper they all start to blend together. The girls that have the best rushes are the ones that have girls in the houses swinging for them. I would suggest making some road trips to Tuscaloosa and have an AGE APPROPRIATE, best manners weekend. Make getting in front of girls in the houses your priority. Combined with the rec's you will be in much better shape.

Good luck!

[atrianglepi]

I know you are very interested in Alabama, however I have first hand knowledge about South Carolina. My daughter just completed recruitment there. We are also OOS, but still from the deep south. Surprisingly enough the majority of out-of staters at SC are from Penn, Maryland and New Jersey. That being said, my daughter told me that certain chapters are comprised of girls mostly from the south. Good luck and Roll Tide/Go Gamecocks.

[Bamababe]

Originally Posted by Pass the Pinot

Great advice as well as being sure
2. Once you are SURE you want UA, you really must start trying to get to know girls in some of the houses there. This is what we did not know going into rush this year. There are just so, so, so many girls going through that on paper they all start to blend together. The girls that have the best rushes are the ones that have girls in the houses swinging for them. I would suggest making some road trips to Tuscaloosa and have an AGE APPROPRIATE, best manners weekend. Make getting in front of girls in the houses your priority. Combined with the rec's you will be in much better shape.

Good luck!

Alabama has just passed a new set of rules regarding pre-recruitment, which includes no contact during the fall semester. Therefore, while blondieee3 may visit campus as much as she would like, she can NOT contact/be contacted by sorority women until after final exams this semester. She should use this semester to enjoy her senior year, as should all PNMs considering Alabama. There's absolutely no harm in finding women right now to write recs for the PNM come this spring/summer, but no PNMs should be focusing on getting to know sorority women, yet. (For more info, look at the "Bama Sorority Recruitment 2010 thread- these rules are better discussed there)

[Pass the Pinot]

Alabama has just passed a new set of rules regarding pre-recruitment, which includes no contact during the fall semester. Therefore, while blondieee3 may visit campus as much as she would like, she can NOT contact/be contacted by sorority women until after final exams this semester. She should use this semester to enjoy her senior year, as should all PNMs considering Alabama. There's absolutely no harm in finding women right now to write recs for the PNM come this spring/summer, but no PNMs should be focusing on getting to know sorority women, yet. (For more info, look at the "Bama Sorority Recruitment 2010 thread- these rules are better discussed there)

True. I should have clarified, second semester visits. This is good policy and it is the part of rush that surprised me most (how the girls knew so many girls in the house prior to rush). It is making rush in the SEC become increasingly difficult for OOS girls and I wish something more could be done. Every house that cut my daughter simply becasue she wasn't well known enough lost out on a great potential sister.