Questions on Extenuating Circumstances?

[lizzard10]

Hi I'm new to this website but I have a couple of questions. And I searched for them but didn't find them. So I might just be very behind on things like this which I guess it's a good reason I'm on here

Okay so first of all how do I show I'm a legacy in a sorority? Do they recognize it if it's my grandmother?

Also what if my gpa doesn't meet their standards but I have extenuating circumstances? I lost one of my parents suddenly my junior year which obviously took a toll on my gpa. I'm not sure how they would handle it and I'm curious if anyone knows. Thanks so much for your help!

Thanks for everyones advice I will for sure talk to a Greek Advisor! And I just registered for Rush and they did have a little section for a legacy. I actually found out I'm a double legacy for my grandmother and great grandmother, and I'm going to have to ask if they recognize that as well. Thanks again everyone!

[joliebelle]

Originally Posted by lizzard10

Hi I'm new to this website but I have a couple of questions. And I searched for them but didn't find them. So I might just be very behind on things like this which I guess it's a good reason I'm on here

Okay so first of all how do I show I'm a legacy in a sorority? Do they recognize it if it's my grandmother?

Also what if my gpa doesn't meet their standards but I have extenuating circumstances? I lost one of my parents suddenly my junior year which obviously took a toll on my gpa. I'm not sure how they would handle it and I'm curious if anyone knows. Thanks so much for your help!

When you register for recruitment, it is likely there will be a section for you to note that you are a legacy. Depending on the organization, you may or may not be a "recognized" legacy.

I can only speak for Gamma Phi, but I am fairly certain that you have to meet certain minimum gpa requirements in order to be eligible for a bid. Your campus Panhellenic should be able to provide you with the minimums for the group on your campus.

[FSUZeta]

i am sorry that you lost one of your parents. that certainly would be a hard thing to deal with, especially at your age.(((((hugs)))))

your best hope would be that the alumnae who are writing your recommendations would include a note explaining your loss, and that if effected your hs gpa. however, as joliebelle said, many college panhellenics, as well as the npc sororities themselves, have a minimum gpa that is required. the chapters may require a higher gpa than that.

the alumnae who are members of the same sorority as your grandmother was, should note your relationship on their form or in their letters. even if that sorority does not recognize granddaughters as legacies, it will be neat for them to know your connection.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by lizzard10

Hi I'm new to this website but I have a couple of questions. And I searched for them but didn't find them. So I might just be very behind on things like this which I guess it's a good reason I'm on here

Okay so first of all how do I show I'm a legacy in a sorority? Do they recognize it if it's my grandmother?

Also what if my gpa doesn't meet their standards but I have extenuating circumstances? I lost one of my parents suddenly my junior year which obviously took a toll on my gpa. I'm not sure how they would handle it and I'm curious if anyone knows. Thanks so much for your help!

First of all, I am sorry for your loss.

As far as being a legacy, there is a space on the recruitment app for you to list your legacies. The sorority will check to see if grandma = legacy and will verify that grandma is an XYZ.

As far as grades go, every chapter has a specific chapter GPA that PNMs must meet in order to be extended a bid. If you do not meet that GPA, you should expect to be cut. I understand that you have extenuating circumstances, but chapters may not be permitted to make exceptions to their GPA requirements, so that's not something one should count on.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

First of all, I am sorry for your loss.

As far as being a legacy, there is a space on the recruitment app for you to list your legacies. The sorority will check to see if grandma = legacy and will verify that grandma is an XYZ.

As far as grades go, every chapter has a specific chapter GPA that PNMs must meet in order to be extended a bid. If you do not meet that GPA, you should expect to be cut. I understand that you have extenuating circumstances, but chapters may not be permitted to make exceptions to their GPA requirements, so that's not something one should count on.

As far as the GPA it might depend on if you're below the national requirements vs being below the chapter's requirements if there is a difference. But as KSUViolet said, you shouldn't count on it.

[33girl]

You do mean your junior year in high school, right?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

As far as the GPA it might depend on if you're below the national requirements vs being below the chapter's requirements if there is a difference. But as KSUViolet said, you shouldn't count on it.

Right. I didn't go to a particularly competitive school, and very rarely did a girl get a bid to chapter when she didn't meet the chapter GPA (the chapter GPAs at my school were higher than the national reqs). She generally had to be pretty stellar in other areas (ex: very involved on campus and had friends in the Greek system) too.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Right. I didn't go to a particularly competitive school, and very rarely did a girl get a bid to chapter when she didn't meet the chapter GPA (the chapter GPAs at my school were higher than the national reqs). She generally had to be pretty stellar in other areas (ex: very involved on campus and had friends in the Greek system) too.

Yeah, it would depend on a lot of things out of the PNM's control or knowledge either way.

I do think going through recruitment now, even if your GPA prevents you from getting a bid is a good thing. Whether through COB or through the next year's recruitment, if chapters know they only cut you previously for grades (not that you'd know for sure) they'll already have met you and you can use the first semester/year of college to have better grades.

[Alumiyum]

Since your drop in grades was due to such a life altering event, I would go to the Greek Advisor BEFORE recruitment starts and explain the situation. They will best be able to tell you what to do. I would hazard a guess that the best solution would be for them to inform the sororities...but again, make an appointment with them and explain your concern. Some chapters on some campuses occasionally take "grade risks". It could be that they will not, even when the reason for the GPA is as tragic as yours is. Come to the appointment with the Greek Advisor with a list of questions in case you will not be able to go through recruitment in the fall. That way you can be prepared for COB in the spring or formal recruitment next fall. In both cases I'd imagine the chapters would use only your college GPA. Here's questions I would ask in your situation:
-First, can I even participate in fall recruitment this year?
-If so, how do I best explain to chapters why my GPA took a dip?
-If I can't participate or if I am dropped, what are the options on my campus? Do chapters usually COB in the spring? If so, how do I find out more?

[KSUViolet06]

^^^Depending on the school, you can be eligible to participate and still fall below the CHAPTER GPA requirement.

Panhellenic minimum and chapter minimums are sometimes different.

So she could ask the Greek Advisor if she's eligible, and that person could say yes (because she meets whatever the min req Panhellenic has set), and she could still not fare well in recruitment.

Example: Random University Panhellenic says that the minmum requirement to rush is a 2.50. Random University has 3 chapters. Their CHAPTER requirements are as follows:

XYZ = 2.75
ABC= 2.80
BBB= 2. 85

Let's say Patty PNM has a 2.5 and she asks Greek Advisor whether her GPA is high enough to participate.

Greek Advisor is going to say "yes of course you can" because she meets the Panhellenic minimum that was set. So she CAN go through recruitment, but is likely not going to end up with a bid because her GPA is still too low to be considered by a chapter.

Not saying that this is the case for the OP, but just throwing that out there.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

^^^Depending on the school, you can be eligible to participate and still fall below the CHAPTER GPA requirement.

Panhellenic minimum and chapter minimums are sometimes different.

So she could ask the Greek Advisor if she's eligible, and that person could say yes (because she meets whatever the min req Panhellenic has set), and she could still not fare well in recruitment.

Example: Random University Panhellenic says that the minmum requirement to rush is a 2.50. Random University has 3 chapters. Their CHAPTER requirements are as follows:

XYZ = 2.75
ABC= 2.80
BBB= 2. 85

Let's say Patty PNM has a 2.5 and she asks Greek Advisor whether her GPA is high enough to participate.

Greek Advisor is going to say "yes of course you can" because she meets the Panhellenic minimum that was set. So she CAN go through recruitment, but is likely not going to end up with a bid because her GPA is still too low to be considered by a chapter.

Not saying that this is the case for the OP, but just throwing that out there.

That often happened on our campus, but I assumed it was because grade risks got bids often enough to warrant them still at least trying to go through recruitment. Surely the advisor would tell her? But good point...so to the OP add KSU's suggestion to the list and ask if your GPA meets the minimum of the chapters, too, and not just the council's minimum.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

That often happened on our campus, but I assumed it was because grade risks got bids often enough to warrant them still at least trying to go through recruitment. Surely the advisor would tell her? But good point...so to the OP add KSU's suggestion to the list and ask if your GPA meets the minimum of the chapters, too, and not just the council's minimum.

Yeah, my campus had a GPA req to register that was lower than most of the chapter GPAs. Many schools do. They SHOULD tell girls about that, but often they don't and girls get dropped right away for grades.

I've always told PNMs that if your GPA is below the LOWEST chapter minimum, then you shouldn't go through recruitment. I tend to think that you should not count on a chapter taking a grade risk. It was a rarity when I was in school (and probably doesn't happen alot now.)

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Yeah, my campus had a GPA req to register that was lower than most of the chapter GPAs. Many schools do. They SHOULD tell girls about that, but often they don't and girls get dropped right away for grades.

I've always told PNMs that if your GPA is below the LOWEST chapter minimum, then you shouldn't go through recruitment. I tend to think that you should not count on a chapter taking a grade risk. It was a rarity when I was in school (and probably doesn't happen alot now.)

I always told them not to expect much if they were below the lowest required GPA, too, but the powers that be felt differently. And I guess when it's a recruitment like ours, it can't hurt to go through recruitment, even if you can't get a bid. It's laid back and doesn't take up a lot of time, and then you've at least met some of the girls and have a better foot hold if you want to COB later when your college grades are in. But they weren't told that in context of "You probably won't get a bid". Which irritates me...myself and other recruitment counselors did often tell girls in that situation they probably weren't going to get a bid, so going through was up to them. Never fails, though, grade risks do get bids every year on our campus.

[honeychile]

I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost a parent - please accept my sympathy. I can't imagine that anyone who has been through such a loss would be less than understanding. Please keep that in mind, even if the news about going through Recruitment is bad. Even if you do, and are given a bid, I would think that your GLO would want to make sure your grades improve.

As to the legacy situation, if your grandmother is still alive, or if you have an aunt who would speak for her, have her write a legacy introduction to her GLO. It would mean so much more than just writing, Grandmother was an XYZ.

Please keep us posted as to whether or not the Greek Advisor is understanding. I'm sure we would all like to hear the news - Good luck!

[TinyDancer98]

Echo what the others have said, I would speak to the Panhellenic advisor on campus about your particular situation. I'm not sure what your campus is like in terms of competition (if it's feasible to get a bid through COR in the spring or as a sophomore) but if your GPA is high enough to go through recruitment but not high enough to get a bid, you will at least have met some sorority women and gotten your name out- then you have a semester or two to build your college GPA and campus involvement. I know we allow women in a certain range below our Panhellenic minimum to participate in the first day of recruitment (chapters are aware that these women cannot be invited back) so they can get a feel for sorority life and get their names out there while they are working to bring their GPA up. Some chapters can and do accept grade risks (above Panhellenic and national minimums but below chapter minimum), but this is generally uncommon and something you should speak with the Greek advisor about- his or her contact information should be on your school's Panhellenic website, and he or she can let you know the appropriate measures to take or people to contact. Best of luck with your recruitment and please do keep us updated!