Auburn Recruitment

UGAalum94 · #1 08-13-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I think that telling your own sisters that someone is a legacy to another chapter is different, since you wouldn't be writing a recommendation if you didn't think your sisters should seriously consider the pnm. If a recommendation form didn't ask for the information, I would not necessarily offer it.(I don't want to get into membership selection, and fear I might if I went into any more detail.) But, since your form asks for it, UGAalumna, I'd give it.

If I knew the pnm had a strong leaning towards her legacy chapter(s) I would certainly tell, but I would decide on a case by case basis.

I don't always know, but when I do, I've listed it.

I've come to believe that legacies mean very little unless the sister is currently in the house or has very recently graduated. If I know how little being a legacy seems to matter, I can't believe that the other chapters don't.

I'm not sure that the perception that revealing them is damaging isn't really caused by other unrelated factors: bigger releases with RFM, more legacies being out there as more women have gone to college in the last few generations, grade inflation in high school and "the organization kid"(http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200104/brooks) type become ubiquitous, making it harder for any girl to really seem outstanding. It's hard for girls, their parents, and the alumnae they know to predict what will happen, and it seems to me that more PNM feel entitled to only join the very "top chapters."

I think sometimes people who are unhappy with their immediate outcomes see systematic failure where none may really exist, and we might be projecting that on to legacy status.

BlueCarnation · #2 08-13-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I don't always know, but when I do, I've listed it.

I've come to believe that legacies mean very little unless the sister is currently in the house or has very recently graduated. If I know how little being a legacy seems to matter, I can't believe that the other chapters don't.

I'm not sure that the perception that revealing them is damaging isn't really caused by other unrelated factors: bigger releases with RFM, more legacies being out there as more women have gone to college in the last few generations, grade inflation in high school and "the organization kid"(http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200104/brooks) type become ubiquitous, making it harder for any girl to really seem outstanding. It's hard for girls, their parents, and the alumnae they know to predict what will happen, and it seems to me that more PNM feel entitled to only join the very "top chapters."

I think sometimes people who are unhappy with their immediate outcomes see systematic failure where none may really exist, and we might be projecting that on to legacy status.

I agree. We had a quota of 45 and one of the chapters on our campus allegedly had over 150 legacies go through recruitment. Obviously you are not going to take a pledge class full of legacies. They ended up taking 3, and all 3 had sisters in the house already. I think legacies are just another way to get you a second look, but don't matter that much. If a chapter likes you, whether or not you are a legacy will usually make little difference.

AOII Angel · #3 08-14-2009, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueCarnation

I agree. We had a quota of 45 and one of the chapters on our campus allegedly had over 150 legacies go through recruitment. Obviously you are not going to take a pledge class full of legacies. They ended up taking 3, and all 3 had sisters in the house already. I think legacies are just another way to get you a second look, but don't matter that much. If a chapter likes you, whether or not you are a legacy will usually make little difference.

Considering this, I find it ridiculous that chapters assume a PNM will join a legacy group.

SWTXBelle · #4 08-14-2009, 07:30 AM

Well, the problem is that just as pnms want to maximize their chances, so chapters want to focus their efforts on girls who are really interested. Trying to figure out how to "read" the pnms can be tough - I know of alumnae who are firmly convinced that if a girl cries at pref, she wants them. I cry at the drop of a hat - this would not be a good test for me! I have also known of situations when "stealing" a legacy would be discussed - so I guess it can work in the favor of the pnm.

As I mentioned, we can never know why a certain pnm was not invited to her legacy sorority. But in talking to alumnae from highly-competitive campuses, I learned that it CAN be a factor discussed when winnowing down the list of pnms. That's why in SOME situations I would recommend not throwing a possible other reason to be cut out there.

MSKKG · #5 08-14-2009, 07:22 PM

My friend's daughter got invited back to her top 3 favorites for pref--she is beyond thrilled!

AnchorAlumna · #6 08-14-2009, 10:50 AM

Re: Noting a legacy status on a recommendation to your sorority:

Quote:

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I've come to believe that legacies mean very little unless the sister is currently in the house or has very recently graduated....

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueCarnation

We had a quota of 45 and one of the chapters on our campus allegedly had over 150 legacies go through recruitment...they ended up taking 3, and all 3 had sisters in the house already. I think legacies are just another way to get you a second look, but don't matter that much...

And that's a cryin' shame! Just 3?? Of course you don't want to dictate which sisters the current actives should choose, but to only pledge .02% of your legacies is sad.

I do list legacy status if I know it - heck I even list roommates. The chapter needs to know who the competition is. But I would hope it would not dictate what the chapter decides. But it certainly is an easy way to let somebody go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by auburnmom09

She did not return to the legacy sorority today and of the ones she went back to there were only 2 she is still really interested in and only one more she said she would go to tomorrow for pref if they invited her back....

Quote:

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

...it seems to me that more PNM feel entitled to only join the very "top chapters."

Yep, no matter how many times you say "keep an open mind," it seems they sometimes only open so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by auburnmom09

I agree with whomever said it is not a fair system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I think sometimes people who are unhappy with their immediate outcomes see systematic failure where none may really exist, and we might be projecting that on to legacy status.

No, it's not a perfect system. I wish it were. But it's the fairest system we've come up with so far. And it's proved itself over and over again, on multiple campuses.

Katmandu · #7 08-13-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I've come to believe that legacies mean very little unless the sister is currently in the house or has very recently graduated. If I know how little being a legacy seems to matter, I can't believe that the other chapters don't.

I'm not sure that the perception that revealing them is damaging isn't really caused by other unrelated factors: bigger releases with RFM, more legacies being out there as more women have gone to college in the last few generations, grade inflation in high school and "the organization kid"(http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200104/brooks) type become ubiquitous, making it harder for any girl to really seem outstanding. It's hard for girls, their parents, and the alumnae they know to predict what will happen, and it seems to me that more PNM feel entitled to only join the very "top chapters."

I think sometimes people who are unhappy with their immediate outcomes see systematic failure where none may really exist, and we might be projecting that on to legacy status.

^^^^ This is well put.