Northern Woman Getting Bids at an SEC School

[BamaDad]

Kristen is really into DZ. She is a Northern Virginian looking to quickly make friends with her new (mostly) Alabama sisters at a fine Southern University. From all indications everything is working out perfectly. It may be tougher to win a sorority bid in the South, but the rewards offered by a strong Greek system appear to make the effort worthwhile.

One interesting note. My wife's best friend wrote a rec and asked the Bama chapter "not to hold the fact that Kristen was from the Northern Virginia area against her." Not too diplomatic perhaps, but likely founded on perceptions real or not that recruitment challenges for the Northern-born are more difficult.

[NUBlue&Blue]

I know we don't get the publicity that the SEC gets, but there are a lot of the midwestern schools where rush is very competitive....just not so "openly competitive". You know how we are, we don't like to attract attention to ourselves !!

I said this in a different thread that sometimes being from out of state is a big advantage....it's a big feather in your hat to have an out of state girl in your pledge class in some areas where everybody is from the same place. I remember one girl in our house who was from Chicago......oooh aaaah, very cool!

So while sometimes you could be a fish out of water, a lot of times just being different is a good thing. And I do agree that the internet and cable tv has made the world very, very small, so we're really not so different as we used to be.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by NUBlue&Blue

I know we don't get the publicity that the SEC gets, but there are a lot of the midwestern schools where rush is very competitive....just not so "openly competitive". You know how we are, we don't like to attract attention to ourselves !!

I said this in a different thread that sometimes being from out of state is a big advantage....it's a big feather in your hat to have an out of state girl in your pledge class in some areas where everybody is from the same place. I remember one girl in our house who was from Chicago......oooh aaaah, very cool!

So while sometimes you could be a fish out of water, a lot of times just being different is a good thing. And I do agree that the internet and cable tv has made the world very, very small, so we're really not so different as we used to be.

And a lot of times it gives you something unique that helps them remember you......(as one of 2 girls from the state of WA when I went through recruitment)

[33girl]

There are lots of transplants in NoVa - I know that our alumnae chapter there is huge, for that reason. It has members from literally across the country (which isn't always the case w/ our alum chapters).

[FloridaTish]

When I was checking out the Alabama pledge list Carnation was kind enough to post the link to

Where was the Alabama Pledge list link that Carnation posted? I would love to see it!

[alum]

Nothern VA is definitely an eclectic place. It seems as if nearly everybody is orginally from someplace else. This isn't terribly surprising considering that the District is just across the river.

I have been a member of several of my sorority's alumnae associations across the country due to GEN Alum's reassignments. As a brand-new 2LT wife 3 weeks after graduation, I joined the Louisville alumnae association. They were the sweetest, most welcoming women. Most had graduated from UK with a couple of IU and Vandy grads as well. KC was like this as well where most of the members hailed from the state flagship schools. Other associations in Boston, Northern VA, and Westchester County, NY had alumnae from many areas.

Each of these alumnae associations has been wonderful in their own way. Whatever group my daughter joins this spring (if she even goes through recruitment at all) will hopefully have a strong alumnae network as I did.

[Speechpath]

I takes research and planning if you "aren't from around here" to know what to expect. I had a very similar situation, growing up in northern VA and going to UGA. Luckily, my brother had attended UGA and hooked me up with his friends who were greek. They were an invaluable source of information as to what to really expect. I'm not sure, if I hadn't had their advice, I wouldn've made it through rush. I must say, however, that I had several pledge sisters from out of state. I think it just takes education on your part to know what to really expect and I think in these situations, recs are really essential. My mother spent a good part of the summer getting one for every group on campus via any avenue she could.

[OleMissGlitter]

You see lots of out-of-state girls going Greek at Ole Miss. I know AOII has girls from CA, VA, NC, SC, PA, VT, NH...other houses are the same way. I think it is totally possible for a Notherner to have a wonderful recruitment.

[BamaDad]

The U of Alabama website lists the names by sorority for all 1,024. That is quite an impressive number. I understand there were over 1,400 who registered for recruitment. The site shows the hometown and state of each young lady.

[BamaDad]

The U. of Alabama had 1,024 new members (UA website). I heard there were over 1,400 young ladies that were registered by the first Open House. The site lists each by sorority, name, hometown and state.

[CutiePie2000]

BamaDad,
You and your family are a beautiful example of a rushee (and her family) who did not know any alumnae personally, and you got off your behinds, did your research, and DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT and are reaping the rewards from it.

There are way too many rushees who come onto GC and say "wah wah wah, I don't know any alumnae personally...please do the work for me to secure my recommendations for me!"

I LOVE PROACTIVE PEOPLE who create their own opportunities!

*MWAH*

Originally Posted by KillarneyRose

BamaDad, your daughter is probably one of the girls on the list that inspired me to start this thread!

Congratulations to her; she's part of a wonderful sisterhood!

ha ha!! KillarneyRose,
When (not if) your daughter becomes a DG, she'll be part of a wonderful sisterhood also!

[PenguinTrax]

Originally Posted by FloridaTish

Where was the Alabama Pledge list link that Carnation posted? I would love to see it!

Actually, I posted it and it is in the top-level Recruitment forum.

[tunatartare]

I don't know if Vanderbilt is considered SEC or not, but the daughter of a woman that I work with is a Tri Delt there.

[AUDeltaGam]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

I don't know if Vanderbilt is considered SEC or not, but the daughter of a woman that I work with is a Tri Delt there.

It is

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

I don't know if Vanderbilt is considered SEC or not...

(Except during football season!)