Rush question regarding GPA

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by HuskyAlum

You don't want to be on Academic Probation as soon as you are initiated.

Or not get initiated period, because of your grades.

[OleMissGlitter]

Get the letter and keep your working hard on your grades. As an advisor for a sorority at Ole Miss for the past 5 years, I can tell you that grades do matter. But it's not impossible to get a bid. However, keep your options open and remember that because of your lower GPA you might not have as many options.

I liked the suggestion someone said on here to take some classes at a Junior College this summer. I know many girls will do this to show they can handle college level classes. Also, make sure you notify the Greek Life Office in a timely manner about your ADD so they can notify the sororities about it. Like Ole Miss Phi Mu said, sometimes we find out things about a PNM and it can be too late to do anything.

Also, don't forget about recs. You should start working on them now. Recruitment is in mid October this coming fall, but it doesn't hurt to get your recs in early. I am sure all of the chapters start receiving them in late Spring and their Membership Committees start to review them immediately.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Or not get initiated period, because of your grades.

The new member period isn't long enough to wait for grades, unless Ole Miss is on a quarter system. Are they quarter or semester?

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

The new member period isn't long enough to wait for grades, unless Ole Miss is on a quarter system. Are they quarter or semester?

Chi-O here waits for grades.

They're the only ones, but they draw out pledgeship till grades come out.

[gee_ess]

Nationally, the trend is 6 week pledgeships without waiting on grades, hence the reason gpa's are so important. Strong academics is an indication of college success - mind you, not a guarantee, just an indication.

I miss the old, semester pledgeships, personally.

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Chi-O here waits for grades.

They're the only ones, but they draw out pledgeship till grades come out.

They waited at my school too. UCSD is on quarters so it's not too much extra time.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

They waited at my school too. UCSD is on quarters so it's not too much extra time.

We're semesters.

They'd legitimately pledge for over a semester.

[gee_ess]

Originally Posted by HuskyAlum

Not a national trend with all organizations.

Oops, my mistake. It seems that everyone I speak with lately is complaining about this, so I labeled it a trend....Which groups are still doing semester programs? (other than Chi O, which I know about)

[texas*princess]

like someone else already posted the GLOs may not make exceptions of their minimum grade requirements after a person is initated b/c of learning disabilities.

and just something else to think about, if this is a competitive campus rush-wise, i would imagine the groups are also competitve in other areas (i.e. who wins all the intramurals, who has the top GPA consistently, etc). If this holds true, chapters on competetive campuses may bid girls with the highest GPAs with hopes they will do well academically to keep the chapter in the 'top GPA' spot.

p.s. There was one group on my alma mater (i think it was Chi O?) that waited for grades before initating girls... not sure if it is like that now.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

Oops, my mistake. It seems that everyone I speak with lately is complaining about this, so I labeled it a trend....Which groups are still doing semester programs? (other than Chi O, which I know about)

Isn't it more of a campus thing? Our campus Panhellenic limits the new member period to 6 weeks (it can be a little longer because often spring break and 6 weeks after bid day collide), so I'd think that would trump any chapter that would want to have a much longer one. I'm guessing that NPC chapters can have a longer new member period where campus rules allow.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Isn't it more of a campus thing? Our campus Panhellenic limits the new member period to 6 weeks (it can be a little longer because often spring break and 6 weeks after bid day collide), so I'd think that would trump any chapter that would want to have a much longer one. I'm guessing that NPC chapters can have a longer new member period where campus rules allow.

...or they can just completely ignore campus rules?

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

...or they can just completely ignore campus rules?

...or the campus Panhellenic can sanction them for ignoring the rules?

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

...or the campus Panhellenic can sanction them for ignoring the rules?

Perhaps the University/Panhellenic is a bit stricter on girls...

Guys can get away with it with no problem

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

I was going to say, you probably had to have several redeeming qualities to get into Ole Miss, because without sports, clubs, job, and a challenging high school, someone with a GPA that low probably wouldn't get into Ole Miss (anyone more famililar with Ole Miss correct me if I'm wrong).

Sororities will look at your whole GPA, most likely. HOWEVER, this brings up another important point. At any SEC school, and especially Ole Miss, you must have at least one rec for each chapter (I believe Chi Omega at Ole Miss wants at least 2). Have your rec writers play up your recent academic success (at a challenging high school no less), among your other good qualities. Definitely write the letter explaining your learning disability. Understand that it won't be a free pass for an invite for the next round (because there is no such thing at a school as competitive as Ole Miss, not even legacy status), but if your recs and your personality shine (and it'll be extra helpful if you are friends with any current members of Ole Miss chapters), you may just have a chance.

Slight hijack - Is Ole Miss (or any of the other SECs - besides Vandelbuilt) really that hard just to get into? I mean admissions wise, not for Greek life. In the north, a lot of the state schools are looked at as "safety schools", grades-wise. Is it different down there?

[SoCalGirl]

^I would think that since Ole Miss, UGA, Auburn, Bama, etc have such a strong Southern history and pride behind them that there's a considerable larger application pool which allows them to be more selective with their students than your average northern state school.