University of Texas Recruitment August 21-28, 2012

[stilettos4life]

Yes, I'm going to UT at Austin. So should I not even bother registering for recruitment?

[Just interested]

I saw girls with towns in Great Britain on pledge lists from chapters just this past year at UT. Granted, they may be Americans living abroad but it does happen. I saw a couple from Canada as well. There are usually a number of girls from other countries going through recruitment at UT. They have as good a chance as a girl from Medicine Mound, Tx who would be hard pressed to find a reference. Don't let it stop you from giving it a shot. Will you get major cuts after 1st round, probably, but will you have the opportunity to win other groups over, hopefully you will. Trust me, if they fall in love with you, they will find you a reference. Also, think of the opportunity to meet new people at such a large university right off, especially coming from so far away.

Good Luck.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Just interested

Will you get major cuts after 1st round, probably, but will you have the opportunity to win other groups over, hopefully you will. Trust me, if they fall in love with you, they will find you a reference.

But if some groups have to cut 60% (capricious and arbitrary figure) of the rushees after the first round, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to can girls without recs, how will they have time to fall in love with her?

Either everyone should have recs going in or they don't need them. I don't think she'll get a "pass" because she's an international student.

[Ladybugmom]

I'm with 33girl..contact the Austin Alumnae Panhellenic office and see if they can help you. If you really want to go through recruitment and be sucessful, I would at least try to get some recs. Like 33girl said, most of the houses are having to release great girls with stellar grades and resumes. If they don't have a rec for you, then that just gives them a good reason not to invite you back. Good luck!

[Ladybugmom]

bump!

[pinapple]

If anyone knows any PNMs from UT, make sure their facebook accounts stay clean over the summer. Facebook has become a very prominent tool in recruitment for each chapter. The PMNs may think it gives them a bird's eye view into the workings of a sorority, but the truth is, it is a window into the PNM's world and sometimes that view can damage their recruitment before it even starts.

Also, have your PNMs stay off that "other" greek ranking website. The hatred and bile that is spilled over there has NO bearing to the actually workings of UT's UPC groups. I find it embarrassing beyond measure. The individual websites of each house is a much better look into each house. All you have to do is google ABC @ UT and most houses have a website and if they don't they are missing a key resource for their PNMs. Also a point of reminder...there are a multitude of strong houses at UT. Do not let your PNMs attach themselves to any one particular house. That will spell disaster at a school where legacies can out number a pledge class.

Good luck to all the ladies and yes, their moms, during this very stressful, yet rewarding week of recruitment! Only three more weeks....

[pmdal]

Originally Posted by pinapple

If anyone knows any PNMs from UT, make sure their facebook accounts stay clean over the summer. Facebook has become a very prominent tool in recruitment for each chapter. The PMNs may think it gives them a bird's eye view into the workings of a sorority, but the truth is, it is a window into the PNM's world and sometimes that view can damage their recruitment before it even starts.

Also, have your PNMs stay off that "other" greek ranking website. The hatred and bile that is spilled over there has NO bearing to the actually workings of UT's UPC groups. I find it embarrassing beyond measure. The individual websites of each house is a much better look into each house. All you have to do is google ABC @ UT and most houses have a website and if they don't they are missing a key resource for their PNMs. Also a point of reminder...there are a multitude of strong houses at UT. Do not let your PNMs attach themselves to any one particular house. That will spell disaster at a school where legacies can out number a pledge class.

Good luck to all the ladies and yes, their moms, during this very stressful, yet rewarding week of recruitment! Only three more weeks....

Its been two months now since my daughter finished rush at UT. She is happily initiated into her sorority, but I must say that rush threw her a couple of hardballs.

She could be a poster child for "rush working out the right way"!!! But a quick story about the impact of social media on my daughter.......

She was happily attending parties to her favorite sororities during the philanthropy round of rush. Her two favorites seemed to single her out with council members, front and center seating, etc.....

We had family friends that were well connected in a couple of the sororites.... but as the philanthropy party days passed, I had an uncomfortable feeling - something didn't seem right..... she was oblivious, though......

I remember sitting down to lunch with a friend and getting a call from her - she was sobbing and distraught. She had been dropped by most of her favorites for skit. We talked and I reminded her what positive comments she had said about her remaining sororities. She collected herself and attended her parties....

She called me afterwards and felt good about her parties. We talked about what her options would be with her remaining sororities and she felt good about her options.......

That night I got a call from one of my contacts at one of the sororities that she had been dropped from after philanthropy (and one of her favorites all week). Seemed that she had been told that my daughter had posted some "questionable" items on twitter that weekend and that was the reason she was cut......

When I went to look at her twitter account, there were three girls with my daughter's name - all from TX.... My daughter's account had been locked down tight (I couldn't even see her tweets) and her last tweet was about 2 months before, but the one of the other girls with my daughter's name had indeed been tweeting all weekend - and most of it not acceptable..... Additionally, my daughter's picture was of her with her father from 8th grade and the other girl resembled my daughter - from what I could see from a 1" square picture....
..... so now I have a problem.... can I do anything, do I want to do anything? I called the Panhellenic office and was told to email the Head of Greek Life at UT, which I did and was told to tell my daughter to call her immediately - but skit round was passed and pref was in an hour...... she called me with her pref choices and she was very happy! Her best choice was still there and she had moved past all the drama from the day before. SO.....

I told the Greek Life person that my daughter was happy with her choice and we would move on. I finally told my daughter a few weeks ago and she was very calm and told me that things had worked out great for her. What a relief.....

I believe that all PNM's should add their facebook and twitter "names" to their resume's sent in during rush, so maybe this won't happen to any other girls.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by pmdal

I believe that all PNMs should add their facebook and twitter "names" to their resumes sent in during rush, so maybe this won't happen to any other girls.

If you have a common (or even quasi-common) name, this is a really good idea.

[GeorgiaGreek]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If you have a common (or even quasi-common) name, this is a really good idea.

I agree. My sorority has 2 girls in one pledge class with the same name, and I can see someone confusing them if they could only see a small picture.

I think Panhellenic also encourages PNMs to put their twitters and facebooks on private with only a profile picture (preferably a good one that shows what you look like) and basic info visible, so you're findable but not stalkable.

[Ladybugmom]

Great post as usual Pineapple! Do you know how many PNM's are signed up this year?

[pinapple]

As of the first deadline of July 31 (that is when the $85 fee goes to $95), they had over 800 PNMs registered. The hard deadline is two weeks away and you will see that number escalate. With the housing issues at UT this year, it could be why there is delay in registration (although I was told hundreds registered the last two weeks last year) so who knows where the numbers will land. Freshman enrollment is up 8.5%

[Ladybugmom]

Originally Posted by pinapple

As of the first deadline of July 31 (that is when the $85 fee goes to $95), they had over 800 PNMs registered. The hard deadline is two weeks away and you will see that number escalate. With the housing issues at UT this year, it could be why there is delay in registration (although I was told hundreds registered the last two weeks last year) so who knows where the numbers will land. Freshman enrollment is up 8.5%

In answer to my own question..they have already had over 1000 sign up. There were close to 1100 last year, so Im thinking there will be 1200-1300 this year. The chapters have already added parties in anticipation of the numbers!

[pinapple]

It has been projected at that range. It will be a very, very long week for all the houses on campus yet I suspect this will be the new normal.

[DarlingTexan]

Originally Posted by pinapple

If you are in love with the letters and not the girls, you are on a slippery slope.

This is SO important for PNMs to realize. As a senior, I have friends that LOVE their chapter and friends that HATE their chapter. It makes me sad to see girls who were "SOOOOO THRILLED TO BE A XYZ" 3 years ago and never go to meetings/events/dinners anymore.

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

And you left off the alumnae advisers who each have THEIR own list of girls they want in. No, they're not supposed to have a vote, but I have a feeling there is some input.

Some

Originally Posted by pinapple

As of the first deadline of July 31 (that is when the $85 fee goes to $95), they had over 800 PNMs registered. The hard deadline is two weeks away and you will see that number escalate. With the housing issues at UT this year, it could be why there is delay in registration (although I was told hundreds registered the last two weeks last year) so who knows where the numbers will land. Freshman enrollment is up 8.5%

The list I got today only at 845 on it

[28StGreek]

Texas UPC Recruitment Guide 2012

http://issuu.com/shweikimedia/docs/sororitylife_ut_2012