UGA Recruitment

[GPhiBLtColonel]

I underscore what irishpipes said about recs being important and until this year, I thought recs were the only way to know about a PNM's academics.

But this year I learned that if a PNM is thorough and detailed on her UGA recruitment registration form, academics as well as all sorts of involvement, awards, leadership, etc will also be made known to all the chapters.

Also, there is a separate upperclassmen quota now in place at UGA so non-freshman are not as "undesirable" as they have been in the past. I personally know three young women who went thru formal recruitment as sophomores after very disappointing freshman recruitment experiences and all three got their top choices the 2nd time around.

[rs086872]

Thank you. We're not angry, we just feel bad for her. We also understand that no one here can explain why this happened.

In retrospect, I wish my daughter's first substantive interaction with UGA had not been with their Greek system. My post was meant to caution others who are looking to go down that path. There's a real downside and you won't get an explanation for the outcome.

[ToujoursSK]

I agree. I am a huge supporter of Greek life, but wish they would move to a deferred recruitment. While it is true that there is selection in all aspects of life, it is a lousy way to start your life at a new school. I know two other girls going through at UGA who got that same call last night...

[Xidelt]

rs, sent you a pm.

[Bamamom16]

Unfortunately this is a story I hear much too often at UGA. Not really sure what the deal is, but as a Georgia resident, I have seen parents at UGA devastated when excellent students with lots of activities and pre-recruitment preparation DEVASTATED when their daughters get dropped. I have also seen parents of legacies in tears when their DD is dropped by their chapter. On a couple of occasions, those girls have gone on to have successful second recruitments, but many times they are scarred and do not try again. It is sad to me that UGA's recruitment comes off this way. It is unfortunate that so many girls at UGA start off with such a negative experience. In my eyes (and in the eyes of those parents), the system isn't working.

[Xidelt]

UGA does have a local sorority, Xi Delta. We are smaller and unhoused, so we rush separately each semester. I loved my time as an active and encourage girls to check it out.

[BraveMaroon]

This will sound hollow, coming from someone who pledged a sorority at UGA, but Greek Life is not the be-all, end-all at Georgia. I had just as many friends who were in a sorority as not. I was involved in a lot of other clubs and activities, and of course, getting a degree. All of those things were a sliver of the pie that was my college experience.

Most of the Freshmen entering UGA this year were super-stars of their class. Good grades, lots of activities, the whole package. It's harder and harder to get into UGA, which is great in a lot of ways.

But it makes a young woman going through Rush have to work that much harder. If the person walking in next to you has the same stats, you have to make an impression in a very short period of time.

Do I think it sucks that there are great young women falling through the cracks? YES!

And it's hard, because these women are going away from home for the first time, and they're getting rejected out of the gate, likely for the first time ever. This generation grew up being told how special and unique they are, and this is a bitter pill to swallow, especially without Mom and Dad there for support/comfort.

Yes, it sucks.

And no, I don't know what could be done.

[AGDee]

I think large school recruitments are especially tough on women who are on the shy side. When members are having to remember so many different women, the quiet ones are likely be lost in the shuffle.

The way NPC is setting chapter total after recruitment based on average chapter size does mean there are more likely to be COR opportunities where a more shy young woman would be more comfortable and social though.

Even if it isn't the first time a young woman been's rejected (college application processes have become brutal for some schools), she is in a vulnerable state when she's just left home for the first time.

[QueenD]

I agree about NPC setting total to average chapter size after recruitment. It's going to help. We have just 3 NPC groups at the campus I advise, and mine has been smallest for a while but is closing the gap. I do believe this will help. Last year total SHOULD HAVE been raised but doing so would have meant the other 2 chapters had to COB when they didn't want to so it wasn't raised. I like that we won't have those things happen anymore.

[BeachMom]

Dear rs086872,
I understand the frustration that you have as this happened to my daughter as well when she went through recruitment at UGA during her freshman year. I just hope they've changed things a bit so that your daughter did not get the phone call at 2:?? a.m. on that Saturday morning to inform her that she had been "released from recruitment." The thought of the recruitment system at UGA makes my stomach flip each fall. That precious young women are subjected to the humiliation of getting up at 6 a.m. to meet their Pi Chi (or whatever they're called) to be in front of a group of women who will in 20-40 minutes decide if they want to invite them back (as well as the sororities know some girls they already want to get to know better) is down right cruel. These are 19-22 year olds deciding this....the brain doesn't fully develop until a little later. I think the Navy used to call it running the gaunlet......

That being said (and to calm down some of the readers) it is a system that over time has proven itself. And as systems go, it is not perfect. Georgia's sorority homes are like eye candy to these young women and they all do a great job of promoting themselves during the week. While returning to recruitment (should she desire) as a sophomore is an option, it is no guarantee and the odds are not really that great even with the UC quota. Lot of very qualified transfers are admitted in at UGA in addition to any upper classmen who make the decision to go through recruitment. I know because my DD tried again....and she's no slacker of a student, etc., etc., etc., and graduated this Spring, double major, magna cum laude, and headed to DC to begin work with a consulting firm on September 8th. I've often thought it is easier to get into UGA than to join a sorority there. Can you believe that?!

But now back to your DD....she is a precious young woman, she is important, she matters to the world, and she is loved by you. There isn't a trio of Greek letters out there that can substitute that. What can she take from all of this? Life can suck at times and then you move on. It's also about relationships that you develop with other people...you mentioned she was shy...maybe this experience will encourage her to put herself out there a bit more. I'm not going to lie, it was painful as hell both times and the production in Athens up and down Milledge (and Lumpkin) on Monday night will be tough. Give it a few weeks and then it will begin to die down. There are many great organizations at Georgia that need new members each year.

Can Georgia improve their process? I think so. To slap this right up against first day of classes, the focus for all moving in last week was "I'm hear for recruitment" and if you weren't, then it was "what the heck are all those buses doing moving girls from house to house?" That's just one idea.....I have some others that I'll keep to myself.

Sorry for such a ramble. I wish the best to you and your daughter.....

[pinapple]

Originally Posted by BeachMom

Dear rs086872,
I understand the frustration that you have as this happened to my daughter as well when she went through recruitment at UGA during her freshman year. I just hope they've changed things a bit so that your daughter did not get the phone call at 2:?? a.m. on that Saturday morning to inform her that she had been "released from recruitment." The thought of the recruitment system at UGA makes my stomach flip each fall. That precious young women are subjected to the humiliation of getting up at 6 a.m. to meet their Pi Chi (or whatever they're called) to be in front of a group of women who will in 20-40 minutes decide if they want to invite them back (as well as the sororities know some girls they already want to get to know better) is down right cruel. These are 19-22 year olds deciding this....the brain doesn't fully develop until a little later. I think the Navy used to call it running the gaunlet......

That being said (and to calm down some of the readers) it is a system that over time has proven itself. And as systems go, it is not perfect. Georgia's sorority homes are like eye candy to these young women and they all do a great job of promoting themselves during the week. While returning to recruitment (should she desire) as a sophomore is an option, it is no guarantee and the odds are not really that great even with the UC quota. Lot of very qualified transfers are admitted in at UGA in addition to any upper classmen who make the decision to go through recruitment. I know because my DD tried again....and she's no slacker of a student, etc., etc., etc., and graduated this Spring, double major, magna cum laude, and headed to DC to begin work with a consulting firm on September 8th. I've often thought it is easier to get into UGA than to join a sorority there. Can you believe that?!

But now back to your DD....she is a precious young woman, she is important, she matters to the world, and she is loved by you. There isn't a trio of Greek letters out there that can substitute that. What can she take from all of this? Life can suck at times and then you move on. It's also about relationships that you develop with other people...you mentioned she was shy...maybe this experience will encourage her to put herself out there a bit more. I'm not going to lie, it was painful as hell both times and the production in Athens up and down Milledge (and Lumpkin) on Monday night will be tough. Give it a few weeks and then it will begin to die down. There are many great organizations at Georgia that need new members each year.

Can Georgia improve their process? I think so. To slap this right up against first day of classes, the focus for all moving in last week was "I'm hear for recruitment" and if you weren't, then it was "what the heck are all those buses doing moving girls from house to house?" That's just one idea.....I have some others that I'll keep to myself.

Sorry for such a ramble. I wish the best to you and your daughter.....

I 100% understand what you are saying but the base of disappointment in ANY Greek System during recruitment, IN MY OPINION, is our societal norm that we never allow children to fail. Trophies for every kid, ribbons for everyone one who isn't first, second, or third, etc. Some of these girls walk through doors of these houses never having had experienced major life disappointments. They arrive at the college they wanted, in the car they wanted and are staying in the dorm they wanted. When that is the case and it is coupled with a disappointing recruitment, it is a perfect storm and a horrible way to start a new chapter of one's life. I certainly do not have the solution, but I do believe this is a huge part of the issue when it comes to how the disappointment is handled. I see it every year. The girls that are actually released, the girls that "self" release and the girls that simply cannot accept that her bid card says ABC instead of DEF. You could literally line up the majority of women in the majority of houses, strip their letters, shuffle them up and you would never know the difference. Because of that in the deep part of the brain that is our reasoning sector, the girls have to realize it was not personal, no matter how it feels.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by pinapple

I 100% understand what you are saying but the base of disappointment in ANY Greek System during recruitment, IN MY OPINION, is our societal norm that we never allow children to fail. Trophies for every kid, ribbons for everyone one who isn't first, second, or third, etc. Some of these girls walk through doors of these houses never having had experienced major life disappointments. They arrive at the college they wanted, in the car they wanted and are staying in the dorm they wanted. When that is the case and it is coupled with a disappointing recruitment, it is a perfect storm and a horrible way to start a new chapter of one's life. I certainly do not have the solution, but I do believe this is a huge part of the issue when it comes to how the disappointment is handled. I see it every year. The girls that are actually released, the girls that "self" release and the girls that simply cannot accept that her bid card says ABC instead of DEF. You could literally line up the majority of women in the majority of houses, strip their letters, shuffle them up and you would never know the difference. Because of that in the deep part of the brain that is our reasoning sector, the girls have to realize it was not personal, no matter how it feels.

I went through rush back before the everyone gets a trophy mentality, and it was still a difficult experience. I suspect that it's even harder now, partially because the kids have less experience with setbacks growing up like you note, but also because the group of girls rushing at UGA is so much more "competitive" for lack of a better word because of UGA being harder to get into.

So many of them would have been absolute top rushees back in the day based on GPA and resumes, and now they are just average for the process. (I see this sometimes when I look at legacies and their moms' chapters. The daughters are probably more accomplished than their moms at the same age but end up in "lesser" chapters because the whole pool is that much more accomplished than previous UGA generations.)

I agree with you that it's not very personal, even though it feels that way.

[maconmagnolia]

Originally Posted by pinapple

I 100% understand what you are saying but the base of disappointment in ANY Greek System during recruitment, IN MY OPINION, is our societal norm that we never allow children to fail. Trophies for every kid, ribbons for everyone one who isn't first, second, or third, etc. Some of these girls walk through doors of these houses never having had experienced major life disappointments. They arrive at the college they wanted, in the car they wanted and are staying in the dorm they wanted. When that is the case and it is coupled with a disappointing recruitment, it is a perfect storm and a horrible way to start a new chapter of one's life. I certainly do not have the solution, but I do believe this is a huge part of the issue when it comes to how the disappointment is handled. I see it every year. The girls that are actually released, the girls that "self" release and the girls that simply cannot accept that her bid card says ABC instead of DEF. You could literally line up the majority of women in the majority of houses, strip their letters, shuffle them up and you would never know the difference. Because of that in the deep part of the brain that is our reasoning sector, the girls have to realize it was not personal, no matter how it feels.

I couldn't agree more. I think that this is also why it is so hard for some parents when their daughter either 1. doesn't get a bid or 2. doesn't get a bid that she wants. They've always given her everything, and now they can't just give her this.

[ASTalumna06]

As evidenced by this thread on THAT site…

http://www.greekrank.com/uni/85/topi...-side-of-rush/

It always makes me a little mad/sad that these women (at least say that they) are willing to drop all ties with their sorority because their daughter didn't receive a bid from their chapter/sorority. That's clearly not the answer. Things are obviously much different than they were 25 years ago, and as has been said, it's not personal.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

As evidenced by this thread on THAT site…

http://www.greekrank.com/uni/85/topi...-side-of-rush/

It always makes me a little mad/sad that these women (at least say that they) are willing to drop all ties with their sorority because their daughter didn't receive a bid from their chapter/sorority. That's clearly not the answer. Things are obviously much different than they were 25 years ago, and as has been said, it's not personal.

I have mixed feeling about this. I understand the realities that GLOs can't take all the legacies sometimes because they have more legacies than quota. And yet, I don't blame a woman at all who rather than continue to support a chapter that cut her daughter instead gives her support to the chapter that found a place for her daughter. And let's be honest, how many of these folks were supporting the chapters in any substantive way before the daughter rushed anyway? What ties are they really cutting?