University of Texas Recruitment August 21-28, 2012

[pinapple]

Originally Posted by pinapple

AThe Elephant in the Room

There is not one conversation about UT recruitment where the term “Big 6” does not come up. Full disclosure. I don’t like the term. It was created by a lady named Prudence Mackintosh who at the time was writing for Texas Monthly. She named names and called out 6 sororities at UT (it was the 1970s people) and what made them special or not so special. Each of these houses is still special today and so are the 8 others that form the University Panhellenic Council.

There have been many young PNMs who have come and gone pledging their faithfulness to only accept a bid from a “Big 6” to only be disappointed by what they got. The same can be said about the other 8 too. On the other hand, there have been girls that have been disappointed in the moment, that all of the “Big 6” released them, only to pull their head out of the sand long enough to realize that an amazing sisterhood wanted them to be part of their group and her experience was life changing. Reputation is a tricky thing. A good one can cover a flawed sisterhood and a bad one can cover a good one. Step wisely. Trust your heart.

Just to make a point. There are Big 6 houses on campus right now who are taking spring pledges. There are also some "non-big 6" houses taking pledges. There was Big 6 house last spring that took spring pledges. There were some "non-big 6" houses last spring that took spring pledges. To most experienced people in the Greek world, this would be considered a weakness in the formal recruitment class. The Big 6 is not the golden ticket of Willy Wonka fame. Girls can leave for all sorts of reasons, but girls do leave the Big 6 houses after they pledge in the fall because things are not always what they seem. Girls also leave houses across the board. I don't like rankings to begin with, but frankly, most people don't like to go into things to come in last. Ranking houses is a natural thing, but it is so skewed, it can't even be formulated. But if you are dead set on a house that has the reputation of being superior, and then you realize it is all smoke and mirrors; and you feel forced to leave that house, then in the end, you really have lost. It is so important you look past the letters and not only look at the girls in front of you, but also look at the girls beside you. On Pref night the girls standing beside you will be your new member class. If you are in love with the letters and not the girls, you are on a slippery slope.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by pinapple

Just to make a point. There are Big 6 houses on campus right now who are taking spring pledges. There are also some "non-big 6" houses taking pledges. There was Big 6 house last spring that took spring pledges. There were some "non-big 6" houses last spring that took spring pledges.

Ohhhhhh you mean they weren't at total and have people pledging now to get to it. For a minute, I thought you meant they were having HS seniors pledge underground and was massively

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

Lane swerve here....

I looked at some of the UT Chapter web sites. And some of the chapters have SWIMMING POOLS!!!

Holy shit...makes it sound like a resort. In my day, a few of the fraternities had them but not sororities.

And Alpha Delta Pi has kitchenettes connecting rooms in addition to a swimming pool.

Okay, I loved my college days, wouldn't change it for the world. But, I swear I would have traded my tiny closet room and sleeping porch for a pool and kitchenette ANY DAY!

THOSE SOUTHERN TEXAS BELLES HAVE IT GOOD.

Makes my days look like CAMPING...and that was just <mumbles>nearly enty years go.

...End of lane swerve...

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl

Lane swerve here....

I looked at some of the UT Chapter web sites. And some of the chapters have SWIMMING POOLS!!!

Holy shit...makes it sound like a resort. In my day, a few of the fraternities had them but not sororities.

And Alpha Delta Pi has kitchenettes connecting rooms in addition to a swimming pool.

Okay, I loved my college days, wouldn't change it for the world. But, I swear I would have traded my tiny closet room and sleeping porch for a pool and kitchenette ANY DAY!

THOSE SOUTHERN TEXAS BELLES HAVE IT GOOD.

Makes my days look like CAMPING...and that was just <mumbles>nearly enty years go.

...End of lane swerve...

This made me want to go look for house pics, and I can't stop laughing at this unfortunate grammar error I found on one of the chapter's sites:

"Every two weeks we host a Mexican Guest Lunch where each member can bring a guest to the house for lunch"

[TexasToast]

Another question! I have a foreign name that is not long or particularly hard to say, but is not something anybody would've heard before.

Would it hurt that I don't have a "normal" name? I really don't want to go by a different name, but realistically speaking, am I going to be at a significant disadvantage because of it? I'm a sophomore, so recruitment will already be a challenge and I really wouldn't be opposed to going by a cute American name for a week if it would help me get a bid.

[ComradesTrue]

^^^I would edit this ASAP. You may have just given yourself away.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by TexasToast

Another question! I have a foreign name that is not long or particularly hard to say, but is not something anybody would've heard before.

Would it hurt that I don't have a "normal" name? I really don't want to go by a different name, but realistically speaking, am I going to be at a significant disadvantage because of it? I'm a sophomore, so recruitment will already be a challenge and I really wouldn't be opposed to going by a cute American name for a week if it would help me get a bid.

I really wouldn't recommend a name change just for recruitment.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I really wouldn't recommend a name change just for recruitment.

In total agreement. There are all types of problems that can arise from this.

When I was a collegian years ago, a young woman came through rush who had an extremely unusual name. I can't remember how she spelled it, but after all these years I remember that it was pronounced like the phrase 'silly canary' because that's what she'd added to all her pre-recruitment forms and even her name tag. It made her memorable in a positive way and took a lot of stress off the sorority members who would be meeting her and unable to pronounce her name otherwise. It also provided a conversation topic. Perhaps you can come up with a similar tactic with your name.

[HQWest]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

This made me want to go look for house pics, and I can't stop laughing at this unfortunate grammar error I found on one of the chapter's sites:

"Every two weeks we host a Mexican Guest Lunch where each member can bring a guest to the house for lunch"

Yes, some of them have swimming pools. Some also still have sleeping porches so its a big mix. If I remember correctly, most require that you must live in the house as a sophomore - but that would certainly be something to ask about.

[pinapple]

Most houses encourage the girls to live in house after the freshman year, but the reality is most houses don't have enough room for everyone, so those rooms are usually given out based on some type of point system.

[33girl]

As far as the name things, that happens everywhere - anyone who went to college in Pennsylvania has run across some corkers of German/Italian/Slavic names. (Including myself in this one.)