Graduate Student and AI

[PeppyGPhiB]

I'm going to be a little blunt here. Why do grad students want to join chapters full of undergrad women 18-22 years old? I guess if a woman was a young grad student (22 or 23) I could understand some of the appeal, but older than that I just don't get it. A woman that's in her mid-late 20s and has already done the whole college thing wouldn't have very much in common with a pledge class of 18-year-olds. Chapters select women they think would fit in well with the group, and admittedly, grad students probably don't fit in.

[sugarplumfairy]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I'm going to be a little blunt here. Why do grad students want to join chapters full of undergrad women 18-22 years old? I guess if a woman was a young grad student (22 or 23) I could understand some of the appeal, but older than that I just don't get it. A woman that's in her mid-late 20s and has already done the whole college thing wouldn't have very much in common with a pledge class of 18-year-olds. Chapters select women they think would fit in well with the group, and admittedly, grad students probably don't fit in.

Did she state her age?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by sugarplumfairy

Did she state her age?

I think we can safely assume that she's not Doogie Howser.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I'm going to be a little blunt here. Why do grad students want to join chapters full of undergrad women 18-22 years old? I guess if a woman was a young grad student (22 or 23) I could understand some of the appeal, but older than that I just don't get it. A woman that's in her mid-late 20s and has already done the whole college thing wouldn't have very much in common with a pledge class of 18-year-olds. Chapters select women they think would fit in well with the group, and admittedly, grad students probably don't fit in.

Not all pledge classes are solely composed of 18 year old freshmen. One of the women on here was a chapter founder at I believe age 27 or so.

Please let's put to bed the notion that sorority pledge = 18 year old freshman. On some campuses that may be true, but on others most emphatically NOT.

At any rate, to suggest AI to the OP when what she wants is active membership in a collegiate chapter is most definitely NOT cool. It sounds like the chapter president was just trying to get the OP out of her hair and push her onto the alumnae chapter.

[_Lisa_]

Originally Posted by 33girl

At any rate, to suggest AI to the OP when what she wants is active membership in a collegiate chapter is most definitely NOT cool. It sounds like the chapter president was just trying to get the OP out of her hair and push her onto the alumnae chapter.

Thats not what it sounded like to me. It would be easier to push the OP off on another organization that may take grad students, but instead she liked her enough to want her in her own organization, even if only through AI.

[tinydancer]

Originally Posted by _Lisa_

Thats not what it sounded like to me. It would be easier to push the OP off on another organization that may take grad students, but instead she liked her enough to want her in her own organization, even if only through AI.

I agree; that's how it sounded to me, too.

[UGAalum94]

I'm trying to stay on topic for once.

Differences in college experience are quite pronounced, and that's why Scarleteriberry's situation is complicated, and why I suppose she's asking for advice here.

At Georgia State, for example, the average age of undergraduates is older than many colleges. It has a large non-traditional student population. I don't know if this is reflected in the area of Greek Life or not.

If it is, and many of the undergraduate members are in fact older than those at more traditional campuses, I can see how a young graduate school student could fit in completely in the chapter. The Greek Life office and the undergraduate chapters are going to best understand their policies.

But if the members of the active chapter encouraged you to do AI, I think that's a great direction to go in. You can work with a young alumnae group.

I understand that with AI you do a lot of waiting and seeing, but perhaps if you stay in contact with the active undergraduate chapter, you can stay more in the loop.

As far as having too many AI in an alumnae chapter, isn't it really the ideals of the group that need to be shared at that age anyway? Who cares if you shared the same undergraduate experience or not when your 35 as long as you're interested in supporting the philanthropy and living out the creed, purpose, symphony, etc?

[WCUgirl]

I don't understand what the big deal is about the word "grad student." Seniors go through recruitment all the time and nobody makes a fuss about it. There's a guy here in my entering law school class who just graduated from college in May and he is 20! A lot of grad students go straight from college, so there's a chance some of them could be 20 as well. What's wrong with a 20-year-old going through recruitment?

[sugarplumfairy]

Originally Posted by AXiD670

I don't understand what the big deal is about the word "grad student." Seniors go through recruitment all the time and nobody makes a fuss about it. There's a guy here in my entering law school class who just graduated from college in May and he is 20! A lot of grad students go straight from college, so there's a chance some of them could be 20 as well. What's wrong with a 20-year-old going through recruitment?

Amen to that! There are also many colleges that have accelerated graduate degree programs to where you get your Bachelor and Masters degree on the same day that you graduate. Also, many colleges have programs for the gifted and talented and they get out of high school early (way earlier than 16), complete college early, and then start graduate school. I think it's unfair to assume the poster's age. Especially with so many undergrads on the 5 and 6-year plan.

I went to college with some of the youngest college students in America...that tested out of their Freshman year and STARTED their Sophomore year when they were 11 and 12 years old.

[AChiOhSnap]

I don't think there's anything wrong with a graduate student going through recruitment (it is a little weird if you're like 35 or if you're married with kids) as long as she knows that her status is going to close some doors. The only thing I think is "bad" about a graduate student going through recruitment is I would ask myself "How much time is this woman going to really be able to devote to my organization?" If you're doing 50+ hours a week of teaching assistantships, research, classes...well, I'm going to seriously question whether or not you'll be able to devote extra hours to the sorority during your new member period.

It's not about the age, really, it's about my ideas -- true or not -- on what kind of lifestyle a graduate student leads. If a grad student finds a sorority that knows her situation and is willing to extend a bid, then I think that's amazing. But I also completely understand why certain sororities ban graduate students from joining undergraduate chapters.

[LPIDelta]

the face of the college student today, at many schools, is changing. On some campuses, non-traditional aged students are arriving in droves. If we are going to survive, I think we need to at least be open to considering older students.

It really is something that needs to be considered on a case by case basis.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

It's not about the age, really, it's about my ideas -- true or not -- on what kind of lifestyle a graduate student leads.

I agree completely. I can't even fathom having sorority responsibilities on top of grad school obligations. And that's from an active's POV. It would be even harder from a new member's POV (I would think).

Plus, and this is based on my grad school experience, the amount of time you'll spend with your grad school classmates is impossible to comprehend if you haven't been there. It's like its own sorority/fraternity; you sure don't need to go find another one!

You'll be much more successful in your studies if you develop friendships with your classmates instead of trying to cultivate relationships outside your discipline. And, profs know when their grad students are having program-related conversations outside of class. You'll leave grad school with much stronger prof recommendations and relationships if you engage regularly in those types of conversations. And not all of those conversations have to happen in an academic setting. Heck, I think some of my most productive grad school moments were had at the bar where our department gathered regularly. They were the most fun moments, too!

While I love my sisters, I didn't miss having a chapter around me while I was in grad school. If anything, I think they would've distracted me from what I was there to do. But, I'm easily distracted.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I agree completely. I can't even fathom having sorority responsibilities on top of grad school obligations. And that's from an active's POV. It would be even harder from a new member's POV (I would think).

Plus, and this is based on my grad school experience, the amount of time you'll spend with your grad school classmates is impossible to comprehend if you haven't been there. It's like its own sorority/fraternity; you sure don't need to go find another one!

You'll be much more successful in your studies if you develop friendships with your classmates instead of trying to cultivate relationships outside your discipline. And, profs know when their grad students are having program-related conversations outside of class. You'll leave grad school with much stronger prof recommendations and relationships if you engage regularly in those types of conversations. And not all of those conversations have to happen in an academic setting. Heck, I think some of my most productive grad school moments were had at the bar where our department gathered regularly. They were the most fun moments, too!

While I love my sisters, I didn't miss having a chapter around me while I was in grad school. If anything, I think they would've distracted me from what I was there to do. But, I'm easily distracted.

I have ZERO interest in developing friendships with the people in my program. There's only two people I would consider being friends with. I have nothing in common with my classmates, with the exception of those two I mentioned. Over half of them are near my mother's age. Most of the younger folks are married or have kids and work full time. I have a lot more in common with people in my chapter and friends I met at church and part-time jobs (which were made prior to grad school).

[erica812]

I have also found that grad students are not really into "making friends." I'm working on my second graduate degree, and in both experiences, the relationships I form in school are more like the professional relationships you would make with fellow employees. You are friendly with one another and you discuss your work (academic interests), but you don't "hang out" on the weekends or call to cry about your love life.

I joined Beta Sigma Phi during my second year of my masters degree because I was looking for a different kind of friendship, a sisterhood. Of course, I know that Beta Sigma Phi is a lot different than NPC membership, so maybe that it is why it was such a perfect fit. I was able to build strong friendships, make memories, be part of a great tradition, but my chapter didn't require the huge time commitment that an NPC chapter would.

To the original poster, if the chapter itself suggested AI, then I think I would at least follow up. It might be an interesting opportunity.

[mkriske]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I'm going to be a little blunt here. Why do grad students want to join chapters full of undergrad women 18-22 years old? I guess if a woman was a young grad student (22 or 23) I could understand some of the appeal, but older than that I just don't get it. A woman that's in her mid-late 20s and has already done the whole college thing wouldn't have very much in common with a pledge class of 18-year-olds. Chapters select women they think would fit in well with the group, and admittedly, grad students probably don't fit in.

Okay I was in the same boat though I was 40. I did not necessarily want to join the Collegiate Chapter, though I did want to be part of the Alumnae Chapter. I talked with two of the Sororities whose purpose, goals and philathropic projects interested me. After a year, they stopped speaking to me. It's very sad that there is nothing out there for those of us who would enjoy the networking aspect of a Sorority. Honor Socities are a nice thing to belong to, but they don't have the same feel as the sisterhood of a sorority has. We are left with the choice of joining Beta Sigma Phi if we want to get involved or help mentor those who are just starting the adventure of Higher Education.
Thanks for listening
Michele Kriske
.....who is still looking for an Alumnae Chapter to join