Joining a sorority at UT Knoxville for fall '11

[AZTheta]

Yours is not the first thread that has brought up the subject of a comparatively weak high school GPA. That suggests to me that your study skills may be somewhat lacking.

My advice: please learn how to study before you get to the university. Having sat through umpteen scholarship meetings, here's what I know:

- not going to class will result in failing grades.
- not studying (I'm talking about spending HOURS outside of class reviewing notes, doing the reading, writing papers far in advance of their due dates so that you can have others proof and edit them, meeting with other students to discuss the material, etc.) will result in failing grades.
- go to office hours. Let your professors and TAs KNOW who you are.
- use a planner.
- manage your time wisely. Learn how to create and use a schedule that works for you.

Your first priority is your education, which is very expensive. College is hugely different from high school (and I won't even talk about graduate school which is a whole other level).

From what you've written, it appears that you're starting with a less than stellar GPA when compared to many incoming freshmen. My concern is for your long-term success, not only socially but academically. Sororities have high academic standards that members must meet, not only to receive a bid, but to maintain membership. You'll be way ahead of the game if you get it together before you set foot on campus.

It is heartbreaking to see young women fail at their studies; and termination of sorority membership due to not meeting scholarship standards does happen.

In other words: go through recruitment as a freshman and be sure you know how to master the academic challenges you're going to face. I wish you all the luck in the world on your recruitment.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

Yours is not the first thread that has brought up the subject of a comparatively weak high school GPA. That suggests to me that your study skills may be somewhat lacking.

My advice: please learn how to study before you get to the university. Having sat through umpteen scholarship meetings, here's what I know:

- not going to class will result in failing grades.
- not studying (I'm talking about spending HOURS outside of class reviewing notes, doing the reading, writing papers far in advance of their due dates so that you can have others proof and edit them, meeting with other students to discuss the material, etc.) will result in failing grades.
- go to office hours. Let your professors and TAs KNOW who you are.
- use a planner.
- manage your time wisely. Learn how to create and use a schedule that works for you.

Your first priority is your education, which is very expensive. College is hugely different from high school (and I won't even talk about graduate school which is a whole other level).

From what you've written, it appears that you're starting with a less than stellar GPA when compared to many incoming freshmen. My concern is for your long-term success, not only socially but academically. Sororities have high academic standards that members must meet, not only to receive a bid, but to maintain membership. You'll be way ahead of the game if you get it together before you set foot on campus.

It is heartbreaking to see young women fail at their studies; and termination of sorority membership due to not meeting scholarship standards does happen.

In other words: go through recruitment as a freshman and be sure you know how to master the academic challenges you're going to face. I wish you all the luck in the world on your recruitment.

Greekchat really needs a like button.

[Jill1228]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

Greekchat really needs a like button.

Or a reputation button. I'd be giving mad rep

[livinonlove]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

Yours is not the first thread that has brought up the subject of a comparatively weak high school GPA. That suggests to me that your study skills may be somewhat lacking.

My advice: please learn how to study before you get to the university. Having sat through umpteen scholarship meetings, here's what I know:

- not going to class will result in failing grades.
- not studying (I'm talking about spending HOURS outside of class reviewing notes, doing the reading, writing papers far in advance of their due dates so that you can have others proof and edit them, meeting with other students to discuss the material, etc.) will result in failing grades.
- go to office hours. Let your professors and TAs KNOW who you are.
- use a planner.
- manage your time wisely. Learn how to create and use a schedule that works for you.

Your first priority is your education, which is very expensive. College is hugely different from high school (and I won't even talk about graduate school which is a whole other level).

From what you've written, it appears that you're starting with a less than stellar GPA when compared to many incoming freshmen. My concern is for your long-term success, not only socially but academically. Sororities have high academic standards that members must meet, not only to receive a bid, but to maintain membership. You'll be way ahead of the game if you get it together before you set foot on campus.

It is heartbreaking to see young women fail at their studies; and termination of sorority membership due to not meeting scholarship standards does happen.

In other words: go through recruitment as a freshman and be sure you know how to master the academic challenges you're going to face. I wish you all the luck in the world on your recruitment.

I guess I'm saying this at the risk of sounding defensive, but I haven't failed at my studies. I finished this semester with a 3.7, so I'm not worried about my study skills or academic drive. My priorities have changed a lot since sophomore year, I think the upward trend in my GPA and my class difficulty show that.

But anyway, do sororities look at your transcripts, or will I just need the upward trend mentioned in my recs? I'm an out of state student from MD, I'm still trying to figure out how to even get recs when I don't know any women in sororities...

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by livinonlove

I guess I'm saying this at the risk of sounding defensive, but I haven't failed at my studies. I finished this semester with a 3.7, so I'm not worried about my study skills or academic drive. My priorities have changed a lot since sophomore year, I think the upward trend in my GPA and my class difficulty show that.

But anyway, do sororities look at your transcripts, or will I just need the upward trend mentioned in my recs? I'm an out of state student from MD, I'm still trying to figure out how to even get recs when I don't know any women in sororities...

@the bolded: that is not what I wrote, re-read my post and yes, you sound defensive. Not sure what you mean by "class difficulty"; did you start taking AP courses or did you do that all along? Were you in an "academically competitive high school" (we have those here in AZ, with selective admission)?

You will be up against other freshmen who have 4.0s (or close to it) including AP classes, and with impressive, solid resumes, including school and community service.

I cannot speak for every GLO regarding reviewing transcripts. I will tell you that as a person who writes recommendations, I ask to see transcripts. I don't keep them, but I look at the actual grades and the SAT/ACT scores. It only took one PNM misrepresenting herself on a resume for me to start that practice. I need to see the grades myself rather than relying on what a PNM put on her resume.

As for obtaining recommendations, there are a plethora of threads on Greek Chat on this very topic.

[AnotherKD]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

@the bolded: that is not what I wrote, re-read my post of and yes, you sound defensive. Not sure what you mean by "class difficulty"; did you start taking AP courses or did you do that all along? Were you in an "academically competitive high school" (we have those here in AZ, with selective admission)?

You will be up against other freshmen who have 4.0s (or close to it) including AP classes, and with impressive, solid resumes, including school and community service.

I cannot speak for every GLO regarding reviewing transcripts. I will tell you that as a person who writes recommendations, I ask to see transcripts. I don't keep them, but I look at the actual grades and the SAT/ACT scores. It only took one PNM misrepresenting herself on a resume for me to start that practice. I need to see the grades myself rather than relying on what a PNM put on her resume.

As for obtaining recommendations, there are a plethora of threads on Greek Chat on this very topic.

Keep this in mind when people are gently (yes, gently) letting you know that your grades may not be up to snuff. You may have finished the semester with a 3.7, but a semester's worth of better grades won't pull up a 3.0 cumulative very much at the end of your senior year.

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by livinonlove

I guess I'm saying this at the risk of sounding defensive, but I haven't failed at my studies. I finished this semester with a 3.7, so I'm not worried about my study skills or academic drive. My priorities have changed a lot since sophomore year, I think the upward trend in my GPA and my class difficulty show that.

But anyway, do sororities look at your transcripts, or will I just need the upward trend mentioned in my recs? I'm an out of state student from MD, I'm still trying to figure out how to even get recs when I don't know any women in sororities...

To get recs, ask around. You'll be surprised how many women you know who are in sororities and have never mentioned it. Also, contact your local Alumnae Association.

In terms of your grades and studying, I graduated high school with a 4.5 and took only AP classes my senior year (well, and choir!). I barely scraped a 2.95 my first semester because I did exactly what AzTheta said not to. I assumed that because I had done well in high school, the same academic techniques would apply. They didn't.

College is 1,000,000 times different than high school, so heed the advice that has been given. It sounds like you've changed your study styles, but you will need to do it again in undergrad.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by livinonlove

But anyway, do sororities look at your transcripts...

Yes! Our alumnae panhellenic requests them, and when I get them I pass them on to the chapters. Some of the sororities in our alumnae panhellenic require copies.
You have nothing to be ashamed of! Your GPA is not the uppermost, but you're OK. But don't restrict yourself by considering only certain sororities. The ones who will be willing to take PNMs with lower grades are the ones that are in "less demand."
Truthfully, every sorority at UTK has outstanding women. Don't leave any one of them out of your possibilities.