UGA Recruitment Winds Down

[nittanyalum]

All the mentions of the Hope Scholarships throughout these threads got me curious so I did some googling -- the numbers on this page are impressive in terms of # awarded & $ awarded, but I'm wondering if anyone can explain the huge drop in scholarships awarded from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009? Is it because they are awarded throughout the year so the numbers will eventually get to the six figures as in previous years? Anyone in GA know? https://www.gsfc.org/gsfcnew/sandg_facts.cfm?GUID=

[DoctorD]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

All the mentions of the Hope Scholarships throughout these threads got me curious so I did some googling -- the numbers on this page are impressive in terms of # awarded & $ awarded, but I'm wondering if anyone can explain the huge drop in scholarships awarded from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009? Is it because they are awarded throughout the year so the numbers will eventually get to the six figures as in previous years? Anyone in GA know? https://www.gsfc.org/gsfcnew/sandg_facts.cfm?GUID=

I believe that is the case. Many students do not have money yet for this academic year, and students often "lose Hope" [that always cracks me up for some reason] if their grades fall below the required minimum. The academic year has just started, so I'm betting that the number will rise as the year progresses, and that amount reflects summer payments thus far.

My somewhat educated opinion, for what it's worth.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

All the mentions of the Hope Scholarships throughout these threads got me curious so I did some googling -- the numbers on this page are impressive in terms of # awarded & $ awarded, but I'm wondering if anyone can explain the huge drop in scholarships awarded from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009? Is it because they are awarded throughout the year so the numbers will eventually get to the six figures as in previous years? Anyone in GA know? https://www.gsfc.org/gsfcnew/sandg_facts.cfm?GUID=

Originally Posted by DoctorD

I believe that is the case. Many students do not have money yet for this academic year, and students often "lose Hope" [that always cracks me up for some reason] if their grades fall below the required minimum. The academic year has just started, so I'm betting that the number will rise as the year progresses, and that amount reflects summer payments thus far.

My somewhat educated opinion, for what it's worth.

I agree that mainly it just doesn't reflect the awards to students for this this fall yet.

I think this actually kicked in a few years ago, but there was also a dip in HOPE grants awarded straight out of high school because the qualifying criteria switched from being an B average that student could meet by having an 80 or above on a percentage grade system to a true 3.0 GPA. I think there were a lot of kids who had 80 averages in high schools whose true GPA was more like a 2.5 because they had half 75 ish grades and half 85-ish grades.

[NUBlue&Blue]

There was a big change in how it was calculated beginning with last year's senior class. First, they only use your core classes, so you don't get a bonus from that 100 in weight training or honors lunch, and if you failed a class and took it again, the failed grade doesn't get dropped like it used to. Secondly, they used to award a full point for AP or IB classes; now you only get .5 and nothing extra for an A (so the highest you can get is 4.0, even for AP Calculus BC...sucks!). So your school's GPA may be 4.5, but your HOPE GPA would only be 4.0. Our school tells the kids to figure that their HOPE GPA is probably about .5 below their school GPA, so if you have a 3.0 on your report card, chances are you won't have a high enough GPA to get HOPE.

And keeping it is another story altogether. My kids go to Tech. Not exactly generous on the grading scale there (although I always say that it makes sense if you don't want your airplanes falling from the sky or your bridges collapsing). No. 1 daughter is graduating in May and kept it all four years--she can't lose it because she won't come under review again.

Probably more information than anybody wanted.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I agree that mainly it just doesn't reflect the awards to students for this this fall yet.

I think this actually kicked in a few years ago, but there was also a dip in HOPE grants awarded straight out of high school because the qualifying criteria switched from being an B average that student could meet by having an 80 or above on a percentage grade system to a true 3.0 GPA. I think there were a lot of kids who had 80 averages in high schools whose true GPA was more like a 2.5 because they had half 75 ish grades and half 85-ish grades.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by NUBlue&Blue

There was a big change in how it was calculated beginning with last year's senior class. First, they only use your core classes, so you don't get a bonus from that 100 in weight training or honors lunch, and if you failed a class and took it again, the failed grade doesn't get dropped like it used to. Secondly, they used to award a full point for AP or IB classes; now you only get .5 and nothing extra for an A (so the highest you can get is 4.0, even for AP Calculus BC...sucks!). So your school's GPA may be 4.5, but your HOPE GPA would only be 4.0. Our school tells the kids to figure that their HOPE GPA is probably about .5 below their school GPA, so if you have a 3.0 on your report card, chances are you won't have a high enough GPA to get HOPE.

And keeping it is another story altogether. My kids go to Tech. Not exactly generous on the grading scale there (although I always say that it makes sense if you don't want your airplanes falling from the sky or your bridges collapsing). No. 1 daughter is graduating in May and kept it all four years--she can't lose it because she won't come under review again.

Probably more information than anybody wanted.

http://www.gsfc.org/main/publishing/...script_faq.pdf

Did the HOPE folks always give the 1 point or only in 2006?

I thought the issue before was that each school system rewarded IB and AP (and gifted and honors) its own way and HOPE treated that "rewarded" grade as the real grade.
The kids in my district got points added to their percentage grade in the class before they were submitted to the HOPE folks, but I didn't think they didn't got anything added by HOPE.

So the HOPE folks standardized with the .5. (They take off whatever is added locally and use the same for everyone.) I have no idea but I though maybe the reference to grades before 2006 getting a full point might be to try to accommodate those systems that gave the kids more credit for AP. It was never presented to our kids like HOPE was cutting back on what they previously awarded. It's interesting to hear about how other schools handle it and what they tell the kids.

But you are completely correct that the recalculated grades probably contributed to a drop in eligibility.

[nittanyalum]

Ah! Interesting! Thank you for all the information!

[UGAALUM]

UGA Panhel told me they will be posting a new member list, but their web person had been out this week.

[irishpipes]

Right. The listing OTW linked you to is just my homemade listing of schools with NPC sororities, their history, and current year recruitment results. I don't have any particular "connections" or inside track to get information or results. I rely on GCers to inform me and then I update my list. Usually we get quick results on Georgia Southern because GCers tend to have a lot of recs written in the south and therefore get results. However, this year things have been quiet regarding GSU and no results have been reported to this point, other than KKG and AOII.

ETA: We posted at the same time. Since you mentioned Arkansas, I guess I do have an inside track there.

[uga921]

Sadly UGA Recruitment was a very painful experience for me.



I came in with:
3.8 gpa
3 yrs of varisty cheerleading
founder of a nationally ranked club sport
5 years of work experience
hundreds of hours of volunteer work
peer counselor
and at least 2 recs from each house
never touched any illegal substances (therefore no "drunk pictures" on facebook)
and I am having a book published in 6 months
In addition I personally knew 1-6 girls in every house visited during Round one, and my boyfriend is related to one of the Chapter Presidents and we'd spoken countless times last year.

After Round Two I had all 12 houses and felt that each house went well and I had meaningful conversations with the girls. Round Three I was cut from all but two.

I was very hurt but tried not to take it personally and really enjoyed my time at PiPhi and AGD.

Prefs morning I received a call 6 minutes before our meeting that I had been dropped.



I understand that it is often a numbers game, but I still feel like something must have happened between Round 1 and 3. How did I go from all 12 to getting completely dropped?

I know God has a plan for me and everything happens for a reason, but it is difficult to understand why this happened.

I also knew several girls who had drunk pictures or had a reputation for being very promiscuous that got bids from their first choice....

It was a learning experience and I guess Greek Life was not meant to be my path.


Best of luck to all the girls and parents of girls who got bids. I hope yalls first chapter meeting went well last night, it was fun to see all the girls dressed up coming back from chapter.

[amanda6035]

^^^

[KSUViolet06]

Recruitment is a tough experience for some people. You seem to be handling things rather well though. At the end of the day, no one really knows why anyone did not receive a bid. I know that UGA has a ton of student activities to get involved in, and I always suggest that girls get involved on campus. It helps them to see that while many UGA students are Greek, a VAST percentage of them aren't and it's not the only thing to do on campus. Best of luck to you.

[33girl]

I know you're hurting, but saying (in effect) "I'm a good girl and some real skanks got bids" is not going to make you feel any better.

With the new release figures, a LOT more girls are being released and it does sometimes come between the second and third rounds. Trust me, better that scenario than going to pref and not receiving a bid after that.

It also could be that your disappointment showed at the 2 parties you went to and was misinterpreted as disinterest.

Just throwing some things out there.

[violetpretty]

When you said you got "all 12 parties" for round 2, do you mean you got all of your top 12 choices or that you merely had a full schedule? In other words, did you cut any of the chapters after round 1?

[uga921]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

When you said you got "all 12 parties" for round 2, do you mean you got all of your top 12 choices or that you merely had a full schedule? In other words, did you cut any of the chapters after round 1?

I still am a bit confused on the matching but after Round 1 I ordered all 17 from what I felt was a best match to least best, so I did not cut any (I think, correct me if I am wrong). Round 2 I had all of my top 12.

33girl- Reading that in hindsight it did come off poorly, I apologize. What I meant was that I had heard that inapropriate pictures on facebook would be severely looked down upon yet it did not seem to matter for some girls. Then again perhaps they had other areas that outweighted a few drunks pictures or a bad reputation and all it took was the right sorority to see that they were nice girls despite some flaws.



Once again, congrats to all the girls who got a bid. After going through part of the process I have a lot of appreciation for all the work that goes into rush and greek life in general.

[AOII BAMA MOM]

To change the subject.....Has anyone seen a list yet for UGA pledges? I had heard that the web guy for UGA was sick last week and that is why no list was published.
Is there one out now? I would love to see where the girls from my town ended up pledging. Thanks